The Pie Equation
by TheQueenWriter
Summary: Don't allow your past to dictate your future. Edward is a single dad. Bella comes home to help her dad after an accident. Will Edward allow their old friendship to blossom?
1. Chapter 1

**4 Years Earlier**

"What do you mean she's gone?" I stared at the empty hospital bed in complete disbelief.

"She was discharged about an hour ago."

My head swam in disbelief; I took a seat quickly as my knees shook. I'd gone home to shower and grab a bag of baby items and clothes and she left.

"Where's the baby? Where's my baby?"

"She's here. She didn't want to take the baby. But she did leave you a letter."

The nurse handed me a small white envelope with my name printed on the front in blue ink.

Relief washed through me knowing that she hadn't taken the baby and I stood again.

"I want to see my daughter, please." The envelope clenched between twitching fingers.

"Of course, let's go."

I sat, holding my daughter in the NICU for hours. She was so tiny, so fragile and vulnerable. How could Valerie have done this to us, to our child? After the four years we'd spent together, I'd proposed not two months ago and though things had been rocky, I'd chalked it up to hormones and first time mom jitters. Apparently she wasn't ready to be a mom, wasn't ready to be married or to settle down. I was heartbroken for our daughter and confused beyond all measure.

"Sometimes things don't work out the way we wish they would, Punky, but I love you so much and I'm not leaving you."

* * *

**Present Day**

"Daddy."

There were definitely mornings when I wished my alarm clock wasn't so persistent, or cute.

"Daddy. Knock knock, Daddy." A small set of knuckles tapped at my head. "I'm hungry. Now."

"There is no Daddy here."

I felt a tiny hand land on my bare arm.

"Yes. You are right here."

Not moving an inch I replied in a deeper voice, "This is the tickle monster and do you know what he likes to do to little girls named Piper?"

Squeaky giggles erupted as I wrapped an arm around my daughter's small waist and dragged her into the bed with me.

"Ahhhhhh! Stop!" She wiggled to the other side of the king size bed and rested her head on a pillow looking at me with her wide green eyes.

"Is it you now?"

I grinned, enjoying the moment. "Yeh, it's me, Punky. You want some breakfast?"

"Yes! I am the hungry monster and I need bacon." Piper growled and sat back up, a grin lighting her face. Her dark hair was a wreck and looked like some creature had taken up residence in the back overnight. Her pink pajama shirt was a size or two too big with the words, "I Love My Daddy" splashed across the front of what looked like a tattooed heart.

"You got it, little lady." Sitting up, I rubbed at my eyes and blinked a few times.

"Can I color you later?"

"That's what you want to do today?" I got out of bed and pulled a clean shirt over my head and stretched until my spine popped a few times. One of my daughters' most favorite activities as of late was using markers to color in my tattoos on my arms and back. "I thought maybe we could go outside and play, maybe Sam will let us take Fozzy to the dog park."

"Yes! I want to do that too! And color you. And walk Fozzy. And eat bacon." The word bacon came out as a growl with grin.

Laughing I crouched down and waited for Piper to jump on my back, her little arms wrapped around my neck and we walked through the house to the kitchen together.

"Orange juice, P?"

"Yes!"

I set her on the counter and she dug an old Ninja Turtle cup out of a cupboard while I grabbed the juice pitcher.

"Thank you, Daddy." The way she took down the glass of juice made me worry that she'd drown herself.

"Pancakes and bacon? Or eggs and bacon?"

"Uhhhhh, cakes and bacon."

"Your wish is my command."

"Seriously, Pie, what do you do in your sleep that knots your hair so completely from top to bottom?"

I was working slowly and steadily on the rats nest of bed head.

"In my dream I like to jump and I think that's what happens; in my dream my hair gets messy."

"Well then, less jumpy dreams, Piper."

I'd finally wrangled her thick hair into a ponytail with the green rubber band she had chosen for the day. Adjusting her hair once more I looked at her small, round face in the mirror in front of us. Everyone said she was the spitting image of me, except for her dark hair. Her bangs were getting a little long and fell close to her eyes.

"And time for a haircut."

"Gramma can take me. She gets me painted too on my fingers." At this she flashed me what looked like the worlds smallest show of jazz hands and grinned.

"We'll go see Gramma later and bring her some flowers."

"Let's go, Daddy!"

Piper was off and running down the hall before I could put her brush away.

"It's gonna be a minute, Piper. I have to brush my teeth and get my shoes."

"Iss okay, Daddy, but hurry."

I laughed, grabbed my toothbrush and smeared a healthy dose of Crest on the bristles. Pea size amount be damned.

"Alright, Pie," I called out as I walked down the hall to the living room where I found her dancing to The Strokes. I perpetually wore a smile around this child; there wasn't a damn thing she couldn't do that didn't make me happy. Though I'd heard horrid rumors that when she hit about 11, I'd be in for rough ride until she was 30. "Let me get my shoes on and we'll get out of here."

"Wear dis one." She dropped a pair of old black Chucks in my hands. "They are park shoes. See?" She tapped her orange mini velcro Chucks on the floor.

"I see. Very smart choice." I laced my shoes and went through our normal before-we-leave-the-house routine.

"Alright, spin for me, let's see how awesome you look."

Piper held her arms out at her side and slowly spun in front of me. She wore dark jeans and a black t-shirt with a picture of the Cheshire cat on the front with the words, 'We're All Mad Here', written across the bottom.

"Looking pretty cool today, Pie. Let's grab a hoodie, it's chilly out."

"You too, Daddy. Spin." She pointed her tiny finger at me, face serious.

Putting my arms out, I moved in a slow circle for her inspection.

"You need new pants. You have a hole." Her cold finger jammed itself inside a tear at my knee as she tisked the way my mother always did. Wonderful, she was becoming my mom.

"These are my play pants. This way I can go to the park and I won't ruin a good pair."

"Okay. If that's what you say."

I laughed and grabbed her up, kissing her cheeks as she squirmed and laughed.

"It's what I say." Putting her back down, I pointed to her sweatshirt. "Go get it on, Pie while I grab the bag."

She was potty trained, but that didn't mean accidents didn't happen. I learned this the hard way. It only took one pee accident for me to remember to always have spare clothes no matter what. Piper had looked so sad and had cried about her little accident, it had broken my heart a bit.

"Your jacket too." She dragged my old green zipper hoodie behind her. She had managed to put her own on, upside down, the hood hanging at her butt. I just laughed, put my own jacket on and locked up the house behind us.

"Come come, Fozzy!" Piper's giggles filled the air outside of Sam's house. The English sheep dog galloped at her, tongue hanging out. I swear that dog smiled when he saw her. Her arms looped around his furry neck and Fozzy gave her a nice face washing.

"Damn, Ed, she's getting big." Sam was watching the exchange of love between the dog and my kid.

Sam and I had known each other since forever. He had been a year behind me in school, and when I went off to New York for college, he'd come out to visit a few times before deciding to stay in Seattle for school. He'd come back to Forks after graduation to be close to his family and open a small auto shop.

"I know. I feel like I just brought her home yesterday."

Sam nodded.

"We'll bring Fozzy back in a few hours. I need to go over to my parent's house for a while, we'll just bring him along if you're cool?"

"Yeh, no worries. I have to work today, so he'd be here alone or bored to death in the shop office."

"Cool man." We fist bumped and said our goodbyes.

"Bye, Piper. Make sure Fozzy doesn't get into trouble." Sam grinned from the top of the drive.

"Bye Uncah Sam! I will keep Fozzy safe!"

Sam rubbed his chest and his eyes softened at the moniker.

"Gets ya every time, big guy." I laughed and followed Pie and Fozzy to the car.

Piper and I chased Fozzy around the dog park for about an hour before heading into town, a tad muddied and red cheeked for some hot chocolate and a cookie.

"I like the hot choc-it today, Leah." Piper gulped down another drink. "Thank you."

Leah just grinned and rested her chin in her hands on the bar top. "You are most welcome Miss Piper. How's that chocolate chip cookie? Riley made them extra special this morning because he knew you were coming in."

Piper just nodded, mouth full, crumbs at the edges and on her cheek. Laughing I sipped my to-go cup of coffee, Fozzy lay quiet at our feet.

"Thanks, Leah. Tell Riley we said hi. I have to get the little lady here over to her Gramma's house. They have a lunch date and I'm hoping I'll be invited to stay."

"Of course, you two have a great day." She looked at Piper and smiled, "Tell your Gramma I said hi."

I piled the three of us back into my car, made sure Piper was strapped into her car seat nice and snug, Fozzy laid next to her, his head at an awkward angle so that he could rest it in her lap. Piper's little fingers twirled through the dog's hair mindlessly.

"Let's wipe your face up." I grabbed a wipe from the brown leather messenger bag of stuff and cleaned her up.

"Looking good, little lady."

"I know, Daddy."

I laughed and closed her door. The kid would be the death of me.

"So we need to stop and get Gramma some flowers, Pie. What kind do you think we should pick up?" I glanced at her in my rear view mirror.

"The pink kind." She said in a serious tone.

"You think she wants the pink ones this time, huh?" I pulled into the local grocery store and parked the car.

"Gramma loves the pink ones I got her. I will get them again."

Leaving the windows half open on the car for Fozzy, Piper grabbed my hand and we walked into the small florist shop attached the grocery.

"Grammmmmma! Piper is heeeerre!" Piper let herself into my parent's house, skipping toward the kitchen, Fozzy right on her heels.

"Well who do we have here?" My mom's green eyes lit up as soon as Pie came into the room, her small hands full of pink flowers. "Looks like my favorite Granddaughter and her best buddy, Fozzy." Piper's chest puffed at the compliment, my mom's gaze met mine. "And well, well, look here, the most handsome son in the world." She kissed my cheek and then bent down to Piper's level.

"He's my hans-um Daddy, Gramma and we got this for you. And from Fozzy too, we love you." Piper thrust the bushel of flowers at my mom and smiled brightly, certainly proud of herself.

"My favorite, Pie! You remembered." She scooped her up into a hug and sat her on the counter. "Let's get these into water before we eat."

My mom grabbed a crystal vase from a cupboard and turned to me. "Are you staying, Edward? Pie and I had decided on BLT's and iced tea today." She winked at Piper, knowing full well that BLT's were my favorite sandwich, and filled the vase with water.

"Stay Daddy. I will make your saw-wich special." And just as quickly, her thoughts were off and running in another direction. "Gramma, I need a cookie for Fozzy. He was so good today."

Reaching out, I grabbed Pie from off of the counter and carried her to a shelf in the pantry where Esme kept a jar of dog treats just for Fozzy.

"Thank you, Daddy." Piper grabbed one treat and I stood her back on the ground.

"Sit, Fozzy." She smiled and patted the dog on his head. "Good puppy." She handed him the treat and Fozzy swallowed it faster than I could blink.

"Why don't we put Fozzy out back to run around for a bit while you help Gramma make lunch."

"Okay." Piper patted her leg and started skipping toward the back door. "Come on, Fozzy, lesss go outside." The dog followed without a second thought.

Back in the kitchen, Esme had already started cooking the bacon and sliced up the tomato.

"Hey there, son of mine." She smiled over her shoulder before flipping the meat in the pan. "How are you?"

"Good. Finished up another project last night, might need to make a trip to Seattle in the next week or so."

"Just let me know, I'm here if you need someone for Piper for the day."

"Thanks." I grabbed a few grapes from a glass bowl and popped them into my mouth, leaning against the kitchen counter.

"I'm back!" Pie came running into the kitchen. "I cleaned my hands so I can cook."

I swung her up onto the counter next to me and she diligently placed the slices of thick bread on small plates.

"Such a big helper, Pie, I have no idea what I'd do without you." My mom took the bacon from the pan and laid it out on paper towels to sop up the grease and cool.

"You welcome, Gramma."

I kissed my daughter on her head and breathed in her sweet scent.

The front door opened and Piper looked up at my mom. "Is Grampa coming?"

My mom shrugged, "I guess so, baby. I thought he'd be gone longer."

"Help me down, Daddy." I helped Pie jump from the counter. "Thank you, Daddy!" she hollered as she tore out of the room. My mom and I listened to her greet my dad in the living room, giggles filled the room as they entered, she was hanging upside down in my dad's arms.

"Anyone missing a monkey? I found this one running loose in the house."

"I'm not a monkey. I'm a Piper!" She giggled, her cheeks turning pink.

"What? A Piper?" My dad righted her in his arms and wore a mock face of surprise. "Oh my gosh! Piper! I thought you were a monkey." She hugged his neck tightly and kissed his cheek.

"You're silly, Grampa."

"Hey, Dad."

"Hey there, son." He smiled, his blue eyes crinkled, not a single blond hair out of place, but it was plain as day that he was exhausted. Carlisle worked a lot of hours at the local hospital, he was never neglectful of his family or friends, but he loved his job.

"Hey, Sweetie." My mom kissed his cheek and hugged him around Piper. "Long night?"

"To say the least." He looked at Piper, "Can you do me a huge favor, Pie?"

She nodded solemnly. "Yes."

"Could you go into my bedroom and get my special phone please?"

"Yes." Piper ran off leaving the adults in the kitchen.

"What's up, Dad?"

"Charlie Swan came in last night. He was shot twice. Once in the right leg, once in the lower back."

"Oh my gosh!" My mom's hand fluttered at her throat. "Is he okay?"

Charlie Swan is the local Chief of police here, and even though Forks has a reputation for being a sleepy little town, we still have a few off color characters, as my mom would say.

"He's going to be fine. He'll be hurting for a bit and definitely not going to be out on the street working for quite a while, but he's not in any life threatening danger."

"What happened?" I'd known Charlie forever; he'd brought Sam and me home one night after catching us egging a house. Needless to say, I didn't see the light of day for weeks and I had to go clean Mr. Hutson's front porch with a bristle brush and bucket of soapy water. Later that summer, Sam I went over and repainted the porch.

"From what I know, and don't quote me, someone was trying to rob the gas station, Charlie just happened to be slower than the bullets. But they did catch the guy, so there's a plus."

"Holy shit. That's crazy."

"Ummm umm! Daddy! I hear you!" That kid always walked in on me dropping a bomb.

My dad laughed at me.

"Sorry, Pie."

"Tisky tisk." She handed my dad his phone and gave me the sternest look she could muster.

"Glad to know someone is keeping you in line." My mom whispered as she finished putting lunch together.

"Thanks, Ma."

Piper and I stayed and had dinner with my parents, as I was cleaning the taco mess off of her in the bathroom, my mom came in and sat with us.

"If you two don't mind, maybe Pie can stay here overnight and she and I can go get her hair done tomorrow morning? Just a Gramma and Piper day?"

Piper immediately perked up and started bouncing around on her toes.

"Can I? Can I, Daddy?"

"Of course, but you have to be a good girl, best behavior and make sure Grampa doesn't cause any trouble."

"Yehy!" Piper flung herself into my arms. "Love you, Daddy! Bye!" And off she ran to harass my dad for the night.

Shaking my head, I hung up the wet washcloth that I had used on her face and hands.

"She's going to miss you, don't worry."

I looked up at my always knowing mom.

"Yeh. I just sometimes think I miss her more."

Esme came and sat next to me on the edge of the tub. "It's not always fun being the parent, is it?"

"No." I blew out a breath. "Not always. But I wouldn't trade it for anything."

My mom nodded and patted my hand.

"Maybe you should think about a haircut as well." She winked and stood. "I'll bring Pie home tomorrow after lunch. Go out with Sam tonight, enjoy a night off."

"Yeh, maybe I'll do that."

* * *

_**A/N**_  
And we're off on a new adventure! I do hope that you enjoy it.  
QoH


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N**_  
I would like to say thank you to everyone for the amazing amount of love that Pie has received so quickly. I can't wait to have this journey with you.

I will only be posting once a week from here on out (not certain what day) just wanted to let Bella introduce herself.

**xOx**

* * *

After receiving the phone call from my dad's partner, James, that my dad had been shot and was in the hospital, I took a day to pack up and load my old Volkswagen Beetle with all the things I'd need for the summer, including my precious cat, Lux, and took off for Washington.

I had moved to Arizona with my mom to go to college at Northern Arizona University and had stayed in Flagstaff afterward, getting a job as a fifth grade teacher in a local elementary school. My mom opened her own little gift shop complete with homemade fudge. The woman was amazing and inspired me daily.

I hadn't seen my dad in almost a year, he usually took vacation time and came down to see me and take advantage of the warm air, sunny skies and golfing. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be happening this summer. No, instead I'd be coming back to Forks this summer and hanging out with him; taking care of the house and getting him to and from physical therapy and doctor appointments.

Two days on the road and I was finally driving past the Welcome To Forks sign. I'd had to pull a sweater on this afternoon as the temperature dropped. Outside it was foggy, grey and green, typical of the Pacific Northwest. Neither the scenery nor the weather bothered me much. I easily adapted to my surroundings, but I would definitely miss the warm summer weather I would have enjoyed back in Arizona.

Driving slowly through the sleepy main streets of town, memories rushed back with the force of a hurricane. We used to hang out at the local cafe, drinking lattes and eating scones in high school. My then best friend, Rosalie and I had been joined at the hip. She was the yin to my yang, the mac to my cheese. She was the fashion model with a heart of gold and the mouth of a sailor. I was the quiet, bullheaded, hippy chick, who'd much rather run barefoot through the mud in her skirt than walk a runway.

Rose and I still spoke weekly and emailed daily. She was living in Seattle now and ran a very successful interior design business and had been married for three years. She and her husband, Emmett, didn't have kids yet, but she definitely was interested in trying for one.

I had called Rose right after I got off the phone with James to let her know what had happened and that I'd be around for the summer. She and Emmett were going to come up to visit in a few weeks, after Charlie was home and feeling up to visitors.

I parked my over stuffed car at the hospital and breathed deeply. I pulled an old hairclip from my bag and twisted my long brown mess into a knot at the back of my head.

"You can do this." I pep talked myself as I gripped the steering wheel. I was just a little emotional about walking into the hospital knowing my dad was in there in a bed.

"Lux, you be a good boy." I smiled at the cat carrier where my sweet, lazy, fat man slept. I'd had to give him a small sedative earlier and it wouldn't be wearing off at least another hour. Poor Mister.

I grabbed my purse, locked up the car, cracking the windows and walked through the small sliding door. I looked around the quiet room and made my way to the registration desk where an older woman sat working at a computer.

"Hi, I was wondering if I could have the room number for a patient, Charlie Swan."

Without looking up the woman replied, "No visitors. Only family, sorry."

Wow.

"I am family, I'm his daughter."

The woman glanced up at me, her blue eyes like ice, her greying hair pulled back in a severe bun gave her the illusion of a facelift.

"Identification, please."

Holy crap, just a little bit of compassion would be nice. Apparently she took her job very seriously.

I pulled my wallet out digging for my driver's license and handed it over. She typed some information into her precious desktop computer and looked me over once.

"Good of you to show up."

Holy crap, this woman had something stuck in her ass.

"Yes, it took me a few days to pack all of my worldly possessions and drive from Arizona. It takes a little bit of time to gather your entire life into your car and move."

I glared at the woman, completely befuddled by her asinine behavior, as she printed out a nametag for me.

"Take this," she handed me my ID and the nametag, "I will buzz you through the double doors. Take the first right corridor, go past the nurses station on the right and your father is in room 220 on the left. The nurses will be informed that you are on the way back."

"Thank you." I dropped my license into my purse and slapped the nametag on my sweater. I was ever so grateful that she deemed me competent enough to make it to Charlie's room on my own and hadn't insisted on hand holding all the way there.

I went through the large double doors, past three offices and took the right hall. Before I could make it halfway to the nurse's station, I heard my name hollered from behind. Turning, I grinned.

"Oh my god, Lauren!"

The petite blond rushed toward me wearing a giant smile and purple scrubs, hugging me tightly when we met. Lauren had been the third Musketeer to Rose and I, though she had been a year behind us.

"I heard the crotchety old bitty announce your arrival and came as quickly as I could."

It was a relief of sorts that the receptionist was a hag to everyone and not just me.

"She was pleasant." I rolled my eyes and Lauren laughed as we walked down the hall.

"Your dad is doing great, Bella. He's going to need physical therapy for both his back and leg, but he's actually healing up very well and in great spirits. Especially since he found out you were on your way."

We stopped outside of Charlie's room and hugged once more, promising to get together for drinks and dinner one night before I knocked lightly and opened the door.

"Hey, Daddy." My heart froze in my chest when I saw him laying in his hospital bed, one leg bent and hanging out of the blanket and wrapped in thick bandages, he was sitting up at an angle and smiled when he saw me.

"Bella!" He reached over and used a remote to turn the tv off. "You made it."

The man was in high spirits for having taken two bullets.

"You seem to be doing okay." I said as I sat in a chair next to his bed.

"I'm fine. Ready to go home, I'm sick of being in this place."

"It's only been three days, Dad, you need to relax and let your body heal. Are you drugged up?"

His dark hair stuck out at the side of his head and his mustache twitched. "Maybe a little bit."

I laughed at his dopey grin. "I kind of figured."

We sat and talked for about a half hour before another nurse came in and kicked me out.

"Patient needs his rest."

"Okay, Dad." I leaned in and hugged him gently, kissing his cheek. "I'll be back tomorrow. I'm going to go unpack and clean up a bit."

"So good to have your here, Princess. I've missed you."

"I missed you too, Dad, I'll see you in the morning."

**….**

I unpacked my car, emptying clothes into the old wooden dresser and closet in the bedroom I'd grown up in. I found fresh sheets for the bed and a blanket packed away in the laundry room on a shelf.

Lux trotted along behind me mewing softly at his new home.

"I know, baby." I scooped the hefty fur ball into my arms. "We have to take good care of Charlie for a while, so this is where we'll be living for a bit." I began rubbing his tummy and his motor purr kicked in. Lux was a three-year-old, sixteen-pound, British Shorthair tabby. He looked exactly like the Cheshire cat, silly grin and all. He was my baby and spoiled beyond belief. I carried him and the clean linens back upstairs.

The bedroom itself hadn't changed much since I'd left. It was clean, obviously, but the curtains were still the same turquoise sheers that I had picked out in eleventh grade, some of my books still sat on the shelves with random knick knacks and a few posters remained.

By the time I had finished organizing my things in the small bathroom upstairs, and getting Lux set up, I was starving. The kitchen though was pretty bare, not surprising for my dad. I kind of figured I'd need to run to grocery store, so I put my purple flats back on, grabbed my keys and locked up the house.

I drove back through town, dusk settling around the small shops when I pulled into the grocery store. Tossing my bag over a shoulder, I locked my car and grabbed a cart on my way in. I hadn't been here in years and by the looks of things, not much had changed. New shelves, maybe some new paint, but other than that, it was like stepping right back in time.

I wheeled the cart down the produce aisle grabbing fresh spinach, carrots, onion, broccoli, I was craving a giant salad.

"'Scuse me?" A little voice tentatively spoke up.

I looked down at a smiling little girl, her brown hair was pulled up in a messy ponytail her bangs pushed off to one side.

"Hi. Can I help you?"

"Yes, please." She pointed one chubby finger toward the shelf with apples. "Can you get me one of those pink apples? My Daddy said I can have one but I can't reach it and he's going too slow and I only need one."

I felt my eyebrows raise and a smile spread across my face.

"Well, that certainly was a mouthful."

"What is your name?"

"My name is Bella." I smiled, "What's your name?"

"Piper Elliott."

"Well then, Piper Elliott, let's get you one of these delicious looking apples. I was just about to get myself a few as well."

"They are so yummy." She smiled again and I just wanted to scoop her up.

It wasn't too strange to see a kid wandering around alone in a store, Forks was small enough that by the time I was nine, my parents pretty much let me roam with my friends.

I grabbed up a large pink apple and crouched down next to her. "How's this one. It seems pretty perfect to me."

She nodded and sniffed at the fruit. "Mmmm smells so good I could eat it right now, but Daddy has to pay for it first." Her face was so serious I almost laughed.

"Well, the next time we run into each other, Piper Elliott, you'll have to let me know just how perfect it was."

The little girl's eyes widened and she nodded. "Yes, Bella. I will."

She turned and ran off hollering for her dad as she disappeared down an aisle.

Standing, I went ahead and grabbed a few of the apples for myself and then pushed the cart to the small breakfast aisle to find some oatmeal and maybe a box of blueberry pop-tarts, though if anyone asked, they were for my dad.

I had just hit the dairy case for some cheese and milk when I heard that sweet little voice again.

"There she is, Daddy. I told you, it's my friend, Bella."

Turning around my grin faltered when I came cart to cart with Edward Cullen.

So, you know the guy you crush on all through middle school and high school who never notices you beyond friend status? He had been two years ahead of me in school, and the typical bored bad boy in the small town. And I had been so love with him. Or the idea of him, I suppose.

He was so much more than I remembered him being. He'd left Forks the summer after he graduated and I'd only seen him once since then, when he came back to visit. We'd actually met up with a few mutual friends that summer to hang out. But once again, I was just a friend, fun to joke with, easy to talk to, but never quite on his radar.

His hair was much longer than it had been when we were younger, his jaw and chin held more than a days worth of dark coppery scruff but his eyes were still the same beautiful endless pools of green moss.

He was easily six foot two; he was big, but not bulky. No, he was all lean muscle and when he moved around his cart to stand closer, his minty soapy scent drifted toward me and my panties damn near went up in flames.

"Piper said she made a friend named Bella, I had to come see if it was the same friend I had growing up."

His lips curved, his voice was deep and rich, touching parts of me that even as a woman, I didn't know existed.

"Guilty as charged." I smiled at Piper and waved my fingers at her. "Hello again, friend."

"Hi, Bella." She grinned and did a little hopping dance.

"So I take it you're here to see your dad?" Drawing my attention back to him, I nodded.

"Yeh, I packed up all my stuff and moved back into my old room."

Edward's eyes widened for a split second before he regained control of his features.

"You moved back to Forks?"

"Well, just for the summer, to help Charlie get back on his feet. I have a job back in Arizona."

"I see." His broad shoulders shifted slightly under the long sleeved henley he wore. And he wore it brilliantly.

I pushed my black rimmed glasses back up my nose and startled when a little hand grabbed mine.

"Bella, you come play at the park with me tomorrow." Her hopeful smile melted my heart.

"Oh, well, I don't know, Piper Elliott, I mean, I have to go see _my_ daddy and he's in the hospital right now because he got hurt."

"Oh. My Grampa is a doctor. He will watch your daddy."

"I totally forgot that your dad worked at the hospital." I said, glancing up at Edward.

"Yeh, he's still there, that's how I heard about your dad." Edward looked down at his daughter who was still holding my fingers.

It dawned on me right then that I was ogling a married guy while his cute little kid stood there with us. Oh well, some things couldn't be helped and it wasn't like I was groping him or asking him for his number. I'm not gonna lie, I was a little shaky inside over the fact that Edward had a kid and a wife.

"Well, I should let you two get back to your shopping. I'm sure my friend, Piper Elliott is starving." I winked at the little girl and she smiled.

"It was really good to see you, Bella. I'm sure we'll bump into each other again."

"Bella can come to the park with us. We can get Fozzy." Piper pushed at the subject, looking up at me, "Do you like dogs?"

"I do like dogs. I bet yours is super cute."

This made her giggle. "He's not mine. He's Uncah Sam's."

"Sam? Like, Sam Uley?"

"Yeh, he's right up the road from his mom's place."

"No way." I thought Sam would have stayed in Seattle, apparently I was wrong. He and I were really close through high school. Rose had always said that she thought Sam was in love with me, but nothing ever came of it, we were too good as friends. "I'm going to have to look him up."

"I'm sure he'd like that."

"I'll see you around, Piper Elliott. I'm glad we bumped into each other, hope you like the apple."

"Bye, Bella." She waved at me and Edward smiled again.

"I'll be seeing you, Bells."

"Bye, Edward."

A little part of me, the fourteen year old me, started dancing, the twenty seven year old me, smacked her upside the head to remind her that he was definitely off the market.

His daughter was the spitting image of him though, minus her dark hair. She had the same mannerisms, same smile, and the same depth to her eyes. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it when I was helping her with the apple earlier. My hands were a little shaky as I grabbed a container of almond milk.

"Whew. Well, that's that, Bella." I said aloud to the carton of eggs I held.

Stick a fork in the daydream; it's over.

**…..**

I got up early the next morning after sleeping like a log. I couldn't remember the last time I'd slept so soundly. Lux mewed in my face, head bopping my forehead.

Laughing I petted at his fur. "I'm up, Luxy Loo. Let's go eat."

The cat jumped off my bed and walked straight out of the bedroom door.

After filling Lux's food dish, I grabbed a pop-tart and poured a cup of coffee before sitting down with my phone to make a list of things that I needed to get done that day; the first being going back to the hospital to see my dad. I also really wanted to look Sam up and last night had texted with Lauren about getting together Friday night for drinks if things were okay with my dad.

Around ten the doorbell rang, I was grateful for having showered and dressed early on.

"Bella! Edward told me you were here."

"Hi, Mrs. Cullen." I opened the door further, "Please come in."

"If you keep calling me Mrs. Cullen I'm going to turn around and leave and the homemade cookies come with me."

Laughing, she hugged me with one arm, holding a small tray with goodies in the other.

"It's good to see you, Esme."

"See, I knew the threat of cookies would change your mind real fast."

Esme and I sat and chatted for a while, we made plans to have lunch the following day at her house. She said that she would have Piper for the day and the little girl was ecstatic to make lunch for her new friend.

"I take it her mom works all day?"

Esme smiled sadly. "I'm not sure. She left a long time ago."

"Oh. Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I didn't mean to bring up a bad memory."

Esme patted my hand and smiled. "You didn't know, and it's probably best that you have a little idea before you spend the afternoon with Pie. Edward doesn't talk about it much. He's a great father to that little girl, she doesn't want for a thing."

"She's something else for sure." I smiled remembering our meeting the night before.

"Well, I'll let you get on with your day. I know you wanted to head over and see your dad. Please let him know that if he needs anything, we are around, same goes for you, Bella. If you need anything at all, please do not hesitate."

"Thank you, Esme. I'll be sure to pass along the message to my dad as well. And thank you again for the cookies and the company this morning, I look forward to lunch with you and Piper tomorrow."

I waved goodbye to Esme, kissed on Lux and grabbed my purse to head out for the day.


	3. Chapter 3

"Night, Daddy." Piper's arms wrapped tight around my neck as I tucked her in.

"Nighty night, Punky, I love you to the moon."

"Love you, Daddy the whole whole world." She whispered.

Nothing pulled harder at my heart than this sweet little human. I sat with Piper for a while, just listening to her breath, watching her tiny fingers twitch in a dream. She had been so eager to find out that Bella would be at my mom's house the next day for lunch that I had not a single complaint from her when it was bath time and then ultimately time for bed. I had to spend the day tomorrow, in Seattle for work, so I was dropping her off bright and early with my mom.

Leaning in, I pressed my lips to her forehead and quietly left her room, making certain her Ninja Turtles night-light was on before closing her door a bit behind me.

Padding silently through the house, I locked up, turned out the lights and made my way to my room. Mindlessly I made my way through my nightly routine; flip the tv on, even though I wouldn't watch it, brush teeth, shower, shave - pass on the shave; a few more days won't kill me, favorite sweats, kindle and bed.

Tonight though, my routine was broken by a certain dark haired beauty whose name wasn't Piper. No, this dark haired beauty was named Bella Swan, and if she had caught my attention ten years ago, she absolutely captivated me now.

She had had her back to us when Pie and I found her in the store. As soon as I heard the name Bella come out of my daughter's mouth, I knew I needed to see for myself. Was she really back? Given that her dad was on the injured list, it would make sense, but I just needed to see it.

Her dark hair had been tied up in a huge messy bun high at the back of her head, multiple silver clips held the stray strands in place. On the back of her slender neck was a tattoo, a simple type font that read: "i like my body when it is with your body." An old e.e. cummings poem. She had carried around two tattered books of his work when I knew her last, so this choice of tattoo didn't surprise me at all. She had worn an off white sweater with a large navy blue anchor on the front, her long legs painted in dark, torn denim. On her feet was a pair of flat, purple shoes; her fingernails were painted a pale sparkly pink color.

Bella was a definite no-go in my book. She was sweet, kind, smart, young and Sam had always been head over heels for her. Bro Code states do not touch thy best friend's girl. Not that she was ever his. Matter of fact, I couldn't remember her ever having had a boyfriend while I was still living here and going to school together. On top of everything else she was here for a few weeks, maybe two months tops, there was no point.

Pie sure was excited to have a new friend though, which worried me, especially knowing there was an expiration date attached it. Not something Piper would understand.

Picking up a pillow I smothered my face and groaned.

"This is not worth your time, Cullen." I muttered. I would just have to explain the best I could to Piper that Bella wasn't living here, she was just on vacation. I'd have to maybe pass that note along to Bella as well, so she could reaffirm the information.

"Fuck. Shut up."

I turned the tv off, hit the light switch on my bedside table in hopes that sleep would take me to a blissfully blank place.

**xBx**

I'd spent the morning hanging out with my dad; I'd rolled into his hospital room in sweats and an old tshirt with a plastic container of homemade cinnamon rolls. Charlie had washed down three rolls with a large cup of juice when the nurse came in to take his vitals and talk to him about physical therapy and going home in the next few days.

"I hear you have a lunch date today." My dad's voice rose over the tv.

"Yeh, with Esme and her granddaughter, Piper." Turning I looked at him. "How'd you know that?"

"Well, one, it's Forks, everyone knows everything within ten minutes of it happening. Two, Carlisle was my surgeon and is a good friend. He was in here late last night and we were chatting for a few. Sounds like Piper is really excited to hang out with you."

I shrugged. "She's really cute. I'm looking forward to hanging out with her and Esme as well."

"Edward going to be there?" My dad's voice changed subtly, the way only a dad's voice could change when he was trying to protect his daughter.

"No, he's in Seattle for the day."

"Good."

I watched Charlie from the corner of my eye, he was staring at the tv, but he wasn't watching the show that was playing.

"Is there something I should know about Edward?"

"No." His voice was gruff.

"Oooookay."

An hour later the in house doctor booted me.

"Love you, Daddy. See you later." I kissed Charlie's cheek and we hugged gently.

"Love you, Bella. Have a fun day."

"I will."

It wasn't supposed to rain today, so rather than wear another pair of jeans, I dug out a floral print maxi skirt and grey tank top and I threw a cropped cardigan on top to protect my arms from the cool breeze.

It was supposed to be about 70 this afternoon and I never missed an opportunity to wear a skirt. I figured lunch with Piper and Esme was as good an excuse as any to dress up.

I curled my hair letting it fall in layers down my back nearly to my waist; it was about time to take a few inches off. I clipped my bangs to the side with a few bobby pins, foregoing contacts, I tossed on some mascara before sliding my glasses back into place, glossed my lips and was ready to head out.

When I arrived at the Cullen house, the same house they'd always lived in, I knocked on the black hardwood door. The long front porch was swept and four large white rocking chairs sat lined up, and one small wooden chair just right for a little girl, sat forward out the grouping.  
There were a few small round tables, each with a cluster of half melted candles on them, sat scattered between chairs. A squirrel ran across the porch rail and squawked at me, certainly angry to have been disrupted, before jumping off the porch and running up a tree.

"BELLA!" Piper's voice echoed and her little body tackled my legs, arms wrapped around tight. "You came!"

Laughing, I stroked the top of her hair. "Of course I did. I told you I would."

She gazed up at me and just smiled. "You're so pretty."

Piper's sweet little compliment stole my heart. I wanted to scoop her up and cuddle her all day.

"And so are you, Piper Elliott. You look beautiful today." She was wearing a large black tutu that nearly touched her ankles and puffed out all over the place, along with a Batman tshirt, her tiny feet were bare and slapped against the floor when she jumped up and down.

"Pie. You silly girl, let's let our guest come in." Esme stood smiling at us both in the doorway.

"Yes! Come on, Bella. I made you a lunch." The little girl grabbed my hand and pulled me through the house.

"Just give in, she won't stop until she's got you completely wrapped around her finger." Esme whispered and patted my shoulder.

"She's doing a very good job so far." I laughed.

When we got to the kitchen, Piper led me to a large dining table and had me sit in front of a plate that had a drawing of a sun and flower draped across it.

"You sit here. I made this for you." She tapped a little finger at the picture.

"I love it!" I sat and held the picture up. "I'm going to put it up on the wall in my bedroom at my house. This way I can see the sunshine every day, even if it rains."

Piper seemed pretty proud of herself, her chest puffed up a bit and she nodded firmly, as if this had been her plan the whole time.

"I also made you a pizza. It has sausage and pineapple and mushrooms. It's my daddy's favorite." She swished her hips, tulle floating around her little legs, and took off back toward Esme who was leaning against a counter watching us.

"That sounds delicious, Miss Piper, thank you."

The three of us ate lunch and chatted about Ninja Turtles, dogs, and where to find the best monkey bars in town. Piper was definitely a little tomboy with a heart that was all soft and mushy. If I ever had a daughter, I'd want her to be just like Piper, independent, happy, full of imagination and energy.

"Did I tell you I have a cat?"

"What? You have a baby kitty?" Piper cooed, her face softening.

"Well," I laughed, "He's not really a baby kitty. He's three years old, and he's huge and lazy. You'll have to come meet Lux some day. He would love you."

"I'm older than him, I'm four! I could be his big sister and teach him stuff. Like how to draw good." Piper shifted in her chair, putting her napkin down. "Daddy says we can't have a dog or a baby kitty because he has a monkey already. I'm his monkey." She clarified.

Esme and I laughed.

"Pie, how about you and Bella go sit in the living room and I'll bring some cookies."

"Yeh!" Piper jumped off her chair, grabbed my hand and pulled as I stood. "Come come, Bella. I have to show you my new book!"

"I'll be out in a few, Bella, I just need to make a phone call if you don't mind?"

"Take your time."

Piper and I read her new book all about Strawberry Shortcake and her puppy. Pie Ohhh'd and Awwwww'd through the whole story, curled up in my lap on the floor.

"Bella?"

I looked up to see Esme standing in the doorway.

"I hate to ask, but could you stay here with Pie for a little bit? I got a call from the office and a contract needs to be signed and I figure while I was out I'd drop some food for Carlisle."

"YES!" Pie jumped off my lap, fist pumping the air, causing me to fall back.

"Piper Elliott Cullen." Esme's shocked tone calmed the little girl immediately. "I understand that you're excited, but we have to be careful with our friends."

A bright pink blush washed over Piper's face when she looked back at me.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I just got so happy."

"It's okay. No blood, no foul. Maybe we should go outside and play for a little bit?" Hoping to run some of that excess energy out.

"There are bubbles and chalk out on the back porch." Esme smiled. "You're certain you don't mind, Bella? I don't want to leave you here if you're not comfortable."

"We'll be fine. She can't be any harder than my fifth grade class back home."

Esme pulled Piper into a big hug. "You be on your best behavior, Pie. Okay? Daddy will be here in a while to get you, but I'm going to try to beat him back." They shared a quiet conversation before Esme let Piper go.

"I've left my number on the counter, Edward's is there as well if you have any problems."

"Oh, we're not going to have any trouble at all, are we?' I looked down at the little girl who was holding my hand; she shook her head no.

As soon as we locked the front door behind Esme, Pie and I tore through the house giggling, heading straight for porch and bubbles.

"Look at this one, Bella! It's so huge!" Piper stood, staring in awe at the large bubble that drifted off into the sky.

"Wow. That is really big." I remarked from my spot on the concrete slab where I'd been drawing pictures by request with chalk.

She came over and crouched down next to my latest drawing, a little stick figure girl holding a blue balloon.

"I love this one." Her finger hovered above the drawing. "You are a good drawer, Bella."

"Why thank you, Piper. I think you're the best bubble blower ever in the whole universe."

She beamed at me and set her bubbles aside. A big yawn slipped out.

"Hey, Pie, wanna go in and watch a movie?"

She nodded, "Yeh, Daddy bought me the Captain America. I wanna watch it."

"Okay. Let's go."

We popped the dvd into the player and I took off my sweater to get comfy on the couch with Piper.

"Wow."

She leaned in and traced the tattoo that covered my shoulder. It was a pastel colored compass drawn in thin clean lines with a small feather curling behind it. Her tiny fingers dragged down over my Max crown, toward a small hand drawn cloud raining tiny hearts.

"You look like my daddy."

"Oh yeh?"

Piper just nodded. "Can I color you?"

"Pardon?" I sat back, her sweet round face looking up at mine.

"I have markers. Can I color your pictures?" She ran a finger over my cloud again.

"Oh, well, yeh, I guess." I'd never had anyone ask to color my tattoos in before. "But we should maybe go back and work in the kitchen so we don't make a mess."

"Okay." Piper took off, sleepiness forgotten, Captain America (my god he was hot), played quiet in the background.

I met Piper back at the kitchen table, she had an old wooden cigar box open and was digging through a pile of colorful markers.

"Sit still, Bella." She uncapped a sky blue color. "This won't hurt a bit."

Chuckling to myself, I did as my artist said and sat still.

"This is pretty, Bella. Do you have more?"

"I do, but they are all covered up right now."

Piper nodded. "My daddy has a lot under his shirt."

Now that was definitely something I'd pay to see.

Piper and I talked about my Max crown, she informed me that she had never read Where the Wild Things Are, so I made note to bring my old copy over some day to read.

She was just finishing up with the yellow on the crown when the front door opened.

"Sounds like your Grandma is back."

"Awww man!" Piper dropped her marker into the box.

"Aww man, what?" A voice that very much did not belong to Esme answered back.

"Daddy!"

There he stood, looking tastier than the finest chocolate in the world. Edward's hair was well coiffed, pushed away from his forehead in a natural quiff, he wore dark dress slacks and a button down white shirt, the sleeves rolled up almost to his elbows, showing off some of the ink that I'd been told about. He caught Piper up in his arms and snuggled her tight. My heart absolutely couldn't stand it, I was afraid it was beating hard enough for everyone to see.

"Your mom had to run out to her office and take some food to your dad, I told her I'd stay with Piper, hope that was okay."

"Yeh, that's great."

Piper had her arms linked around Edward's neck, kissing his cheek. His eyes met mine for the briefest of moments, they stopped on the masterpiece that Piper had created on my arm before turning his attention back to his daughter.

"Were you good for Bella?"

Piper nodded. "I did bubbles and made chalk stuff and read a book and I colored her pictures on her arm." Holding her dad's face between her hands to be sure she had his full attention, she continued. "Bella has pretty pictures like you. She's nice and we were best behavior."

Edward chuckled. "Sounds like you had a busy day."

Standing, holding the picture that Piper had drawn for me, I grabbed my bag, tucking the sweater inside and pulled out my keys.

"Well, since you're back, I guess I'll be going." I nodded at Edward. Apparently he wasn't up for conversation and his slight disregard hurt just a tiny bit.

Piper slipped away from Edward and came up to me, hugging my leg.

"I had so much fun, Bella. Give Lux a kiss from me and tell him I want to pet him."

"I will, Sweetie. Thank you for all the fun today. I'll see you two around."

Closing the door to the house quietly behind myself, I sighed, eyes closed tight.

"You're only here for two months, Bella, you don't need emotional entanglements."

Especially ones as lovely as Edward.

* * *

**A/N**

Wow, you guys. So much love for Pie already, it truly blows my mind and makes me beyond excited to share this story with you all. Thank you SO SO much for your kind words and enthusiastic response to the first two chapters, I do hope you enjoy this third as well.

** xOx**


	4. Chapter 4

Friday night my mom kept Piper again, telling me to go out and enjoy myself. What she didn't realize though was that going out to enjoy myself wasn't nearly as much fun as it sounded.

"Hey bro, you wanna meet me at The Dive tonight for some beers?" I could hear Fozzy barking in the background of the call.

"Yeh, I'll be there in a while. I just dropped Pie at my mom's for the night, I have a few things to do work-wise and then I'll be over."

"Sounds good, man. See ya then."

Pressing end on the phone screen I ran a hand through my hair. I wasn't used to not having Piper around and this was the second time in a week, she was always thrilled to stay the night with my parents though. I wondered what she was up to, knowing she was most likely charming the pants off my dad and eating cookies made by Mom. I was grateful for the support system, I had been nervous coming back to Forks with Piper alone, but my parents opened their arms and their doors to us and I was able to get my feet on solid ground pretty quickly.

It was already almost six and I needed to send out a few more emails and close up an account. I had been writing code for an online company for a week and was ready to send them a rough look at what I had come up with. I definitely earned a few hours off to enjoy myself.

After a quick shower, I tossed on an old pair of jeans and black long sleeved shirt. Piper would have my head if I left my hair a wreck, so for my favorite girl, I moussed the shit out of it, tugged on an old pair of Doc Martens and left the house.

Parking my car around the back ally of the bar, it was definitely busy tonight and it was only just after seven; college students home to visit parents and everyone out for a good time on a small town Friday night.

Grabbing my phone I sent my mom a quick text to be sure all was well, knowing that more than likely I'd receive a smartass comment in return about how she had raised one child and that child should have more faith in her. Not waiting for a reply, I shoved the phone into my back pocket; locked up the car and walked around to the front of building.

There were a handful of people on the front sidewalk smoking, holding plastic cups filled with the beverage of their choice. The music was loud, spilling out of the open door. The Raconteurs were singing about another point of view while people shouted over the piano and guitar parts to be heard.

"'Scuse me." I muttered as I slid past two women who most certainly were trying too hard for Forks. The high heels and mini skirts were a little much for The Dive. It was more a jeans and tshirt type establishment, which suited me fine.

Making my way through the open room, my boots scuffed along the weathered hardwood floors. The ceiling was made up of large ornate, silver, metal tiles, with rustic chandeliers hanging from the center of a few along with the recessed lighting. The walls were painted a red/brown with framed black and white photos depicting the history of Forks and the surrounding area, scattered around the room.

There were two pool tables in the far back by the bathrooms, along with two dartboards and the jukebox. The front half of the room held tall bar tables situated around the walls with a scattering of regular tables toward the center of the room. There was plenty of room for dancing, should one want to partake in that shit. And it certainly seemed a lot of people were partaking this night.

Frowning, I made my way to the bar after making a quick scan for Sam and not seeing him.

"Hey Ed, what can I get for you tonight?" Embry leaned into the bar top, smiling.

"How about a Guinness."

"You got it."

Embry was Sam's cousin, just turned 25 and came back to Forks after school to help take care of his mom who'd had a minor stroke. He was a good kid and worked hard to make sure she was well cared for.

"Here ya go. You want to start a tab?"

"Yeh, that's cool, I'll hit ya up before I leave. Thanks man."

Embry nodded and made his way down the bar to clear empties and take more orders. I sat on a barstool and dragged a quick gaze over the crowd looking for Sam. That asshole had better not have stood me up.

Shit. I don't date women, but I get my balls in a bunch over Sam? I needed to get laid again some day.

I heard a loud guffawing laugh and immediately found Sam in the crowd of people dancing. His dancing didn't surprise me as much who he was dancing with. Bella Swan, with her painted on jeans and a white shirt that slid off of one tattooed shoulder, her hair tied up in black and white ribbons at the back of her head showing off her slender neck. The sleeves of her shirt were short and I could see her inked artwork that Pie had colored in the other day. She laughed with her whole body, head thrown slightly back, eyes sparkling, her hands were on Sam's shoulders as he spun her in a quick circle.

Fuck she was beautiful. I knew I'd been rude to her at my mom's house, I hadn't said more than two words to her before she'd left, but walking into the kitchen and seeing her sitting so patiently with Piper while she colored on her arm made my heart ache in a way it shouldn't have. Pie deserved to have a mother, a good mother who would love her and nurture her and teach her wonderful things about the world, but Bella was not that woman. Bella was passing through, a blip in Pie's life.

A beautiful blip.

It wouldn't do any good to continue sitting here mulling over things that could not be. Taking a long pull from my beer and gathering control of the situation, I stood and made my way toward Sam and Bella. They had stopped dancing and were sitting a four top along with Lauren, a girl who had stayed local and who had also been friends with Bella back when we were in school.

"Ed! Look what the cat dragged back to Forks." Sam shouted over the low roar of music and revelry of the Friday night crowd.

Grabbing the last chair at the table, turning it around I straddled the seat, setting my beer down in front of me. I was very aware of Bella to my left, I knew she was looking at me, I could feel her gaze on the side of my face, almost as if she had reached out and slapped me.

"Lauren." I nodded briefly toward the small blonde before turning my eyes to Bella. "Bella."

I didn't fail to notice the quick flash of confusion in her eyes before she plastered a beautiful smile onto her face.

"Edward."

**xBx**

"Have you two seen each other since she's been back?" Sam asked.

"We've bumped into each other."

Had I offended Edward in some way and not realized it? Maybe he was irritated that his mom had left Piper with me, a virtual stranger, while she was supposed to be in her care? Maybe he really didn't care for me at all and I'd just read him wrong at the store. But to be blatantly rude when I'd done nothing to him, that just sucked.

If he wanted to play this game, that was fine. I wasn't here to make friends; I was here to care for my father who would be coming home tomorrow. The sooner I put Edward behind me, the better.

Now, if I could just get my heart under control and keep my eyes to myself, I'd be golden. But his jean-clad knee was so close to my own at the small table that I could feel his body heat and he smelled of citrus and soapy goodness.

"Yeh, I bumped into Edward at the grocery the other day when I first got into town." I smiled at Edward, knowing good and well he'd probably just stare back at me with no smile to share.

"And then once at his parent's house." Sam looked at Edward in surprise. "Esme and Piper invited me for lunch. We had a lot of fun."

Take that, Grumpy Pants.

"Lauren, let's go get a drink." She and I stood up and I smiled at Sam. "Be right back, you want another beer?"

"Sure Bells."

"You got it."

Leaning into me Laura spoke quietly as we walked back to the bar. "Holy shit, what is up Edward's ass?"

I shrugged as I took a stool at the bar to wait for Embry.

"I take it he's not always that way?"

Lauren shook her head and sat next to me. "He's usually really laid back and friendly, maybe he's just having a bad day."

I knew she was just trying to make me feel better. It didn't work and once again I had to remind myself that I was here for Charlie, not for a guy or a relationship. Hanging out with Lauren was great it was perfect actually. And Rose and Emmett would be here in another week to visit and see Charlie as well.

"Hiya, ladies." Embry grinned. "What can I do for you?"

"I need one Guinness and another glass of white wine, please."

When Lauren went to order, I noticed her cheeks turn slightly red and Embry's smile changed slightly.

"You like him." I said when Embry walked off to get Lauren her drink.

"Shhh! He's younger than me."

"By what, a year?" I raised an eyebrow and sipped my wine, "Who cares. Look at him, he's really cute, Lauren, and I've heard that he came back to be with his mom. Seriously? He sounds great to me."

"Here ya go, Lauren." Embry placed a glass in front of her and nodded once at me before being called off to another customer.

"Uhg!" I laughed when Lauren banged her head gently against the bar top three times. "I like him so much, but I don't even know how to tell him."

"Well, how about asking him out for lunch? The way he was checking you out, I don't think he'd say no."

"Can't you just tell him, 'My friend has a crush on you, do you like her?' like back in the good old days?"

Laughing again, I patted her hand. "You are a beautiful, smart, and amazing woman, Lauren, you have nothing to worry about. I have a feeling, trust me."

"I haven't had a boyfriend since college." She took a sip of her drink. "I've had sex, don't get me wrong, no cobwebs in this cave, but I haven't had a real boyfriend in a while."

"Well then, you're doing better than me, I've probably got a few dust bunnies."

Laughing, we made our way back to the table where Edward and Sam were deep in conversation. I slid the Guinness in front of Sam and sat in my chair across from Lauren, whose eyes were tracking the bar. Hopefully she'd muster the courage to ask her crush on a date soon.

"Hey Lauren, let's dance." Sam grabbed her by the arm and I watched them grinning like fools as they danced to 'Baby Got Back'.

Edward wouldn't look at me and the tension was starting to grate at me. There was no reason for him to behave like this toward me, especially if he wasn't willing to actually tell me what I'd done to deserve the cold shoulder.

"Look Edward," I started and then took another drink of my wine. "I've obviously offended you in some way. If it was because I stayed with Piper while your mom ran out, I won't do it again. I thought I was being helpful by doing your mom the favor."

He didn't say anything, he just sat there staring at me with dark green eyes, his mouth drawn into a thin line.

"So, I'm sorry for whatever it is that I did, and I hope that we can just let it go and move on. I'm not going to be in town too long, and it's plenty big enough for the both of us."

His jaw ticked once, but his eyes never wavered from mine.

"I'm not worried that you stayed with Piper, Bella." His voice was clipped as he turned his body toward mine. "I worry that she will become attached. She's already talking about you non-stop and she doesn't understand that your friendship has an expiration date."

Youch. That hurt.

"Oh. Well, of course. I understand that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any problems, I hope you know that."

"Of course I know that, Bella." Edward sighed. "You're a good person, I just have to put my daughter first."

"I would never ask you to do anything other than that." Was he trying to make me feel like crap, because he was doing a bang up job. "Piper is a great kid, Edward. You're doing a really good job raising her, but that doesn't mean that you have to be rude to me. I didn't do anything wrong. I thought we were friends, at least friendly enough that you'd talk to me and tell me how you were feeling. I vote we put this behind us and move on. As I stated before, I'm only here for a little while, we don't have to hang out or see each other on purpose."

I grabbed my purse and pushed my chair into the table.

Edward's hand reached out and wrapped around my wrist. "You don't have to go."

My pulse kicked up, my eyes stared down at the hand holding me captive, then into his dark eyes.

"I think it's best if I go." I was ever so grateful that my voice came out strong because I felt very weak.

"Please let Sam know that I'll call him tomorrow and tell Lauren goodnight for me. If they ask, tell them I got a call from my dad."

I didn't wait for his reply, I turned easily in my boots and made my way through the crowd, the heat from his touch still blistering my skin as I attempted to keep my heart from beating through my chest.

* * *

**A/N**  
I have received so much love and so many kind comments on this story so far, you all can't know how warm and fuzzy you make me feel.

I would like to thank the ladies over at **TLS**, **ADF** and **FicSisters** for sharing my story as well. Thank you a million times over, it means the world to me.

And to my wonderful friend, MustLoveRTP, you rock my socks off, lady. Thank you for all that you do, especially with this crazy time difference we deal with now. lOl

xOx


	5. Chapter 5

"Here we are."

I parked my dad's car in the drive. I figured taking his vehicle would be easier and more comfortable for him to ride home in than my cramped Beetle.

"Home sweet home." My dad proclaimed joyfully. "Oh how I've missed my own bed and my own tv, Bells."

"Okay, Dad, sit still and I'll come around and help you out." I was laughing quietly at my father's simple joy.

Opening the passenger door, I held a hand out to help him, only it turned into a Three Stooges move. I reached out for his hand at the same time he stuck his head out causing me to slap my own dad in face, he jerked back and I moved forward smacking my forehead off the car.

"Dear lord, Isabella." My dad gasped through laughter and pain. "Are we going to make it?"

I held my hand over my forehead, my eyes watery with the misery of embarrassment and pain.

"Dad, if we can't get you out of the car without killing each other, we're in big trouble." I laughed.

It took about ten minutes to help my dad out of the car, hobble to the house, and get him settled in his man chair in the living room.

"Alright, Dad, here's the remote, here's a glass of water, I'm gonna go make some grilled cheese, how's that sound?"

"Perfect, Sweetheart. I'm so glad you're here, though I am sorry you're missing so much back home for the summer."

Lux came mewing into the living room just as I was set to walk out.

"Kitty kitty." My dad called out.

I watched Lux trot his fat little body across the room and gracefully land himself on my dad's lap. Spoiled brat. I shook my head and made my way to the kitchen to start some sandwiches.

Dad and I hung out all day in the living room watching movies, eating tons of really bad for you food and taking turns petting Prince Lux.

"You don't have to stay, Bells." My dad insisted when we arrived for his initial physical therapy appointment two days later. They wanted to check his bandages and work his leg a little bit. "You're going to be bored out there in the waiting room for an hour or so. Go do what you need to do and I'll text you when I'm ready to leave."

"Are you sure, Dad? I can stay, really, I don't mind. I brought a book and stuff to outline my curriculum for the next year."

"Go. Get out of here." Charlie winked. "I can't put the moves on the hot nurse in front of you."

"Oh my god, Dad." Shaking my head, I stood up as the 'hot nurse' in question came out from a hall and walked toward Charlie. "Good luck. Text me when you're done, or I'll just be here waiting in about an hour or so if I don't hear from you."

It wasn't raining today, but the clouds were heavy and the breeze was chilled. I decided to wander over to a small park to wait out my dad. There were two other hospital employees having lunch at a small wooden table so I took a swing, whipped my kindle out of my bag and rocked back and forth on the toes of my shoes as I read High Fidelity for the billionth time.

"Bella!"

I looked up just in time to catch Piper in a lunging hug. She was giggling and snuggling me, her small arms wrapped around my waist. For one sweet moment, I enjoyed the free spirit of the child who held me tight. That swiftly passed as panic bloomed in the back of my mind at the idea of an irritated Edward watching his daughter happily hugging on the one person he didn't approve of.

I breathed a sigh of relief when Esme trotted up to us smiling.

"Bella! How good to see you here. We were just on our way to bring Carlisle some lunch." She held a canvas bag in her hand and wore a bright smile.

"It's good to be seen." I looked back down at Piper. Today she wore a black hoodie sweatshirt with a White Stripes candy logo splashed across the front, a pair of jeans, black shoes, her hair was up in a red ribbon. "How are you today, Piper?"

"I'm good." She beamed up at me. "Are you going to come to my house and play with me some day?"

Youch. The honesty of kids really tugged at my heart sometimes.

"Oh, I'm not sure, sweetie. I've been so busy taking care of my dad and trying to get some work done for my job."

Piper's small pout almost had me laughing, but I knew she was very serious.

"Maybe Bella can come have lunch with us again one afternoon when her Daddy is feeling better." Esme suggested and crouched down to look Piper in the eyes.

"Oh!" Piper's entire face lit up. "You should bring your Daddy too! I will make him cookies." She leaned into me, standing on her toes and whispered, "My Gramma will make them for real, but I will help."

At this, I did laugh. The kid was too much and hard to resist.

"That would be awesome, Piper. I'll keep your Gramma posted on when will be a good time for a visit."

Piper nodded solemnly. "Tell your Daddy I say feel better."

"Will do, Piper. You tell your Grampa I said hi, okay?"

"Will do, Bella." She repeated back at me and saluted.

"Please tell Charlie we said hello. And the lunch date is out there, Bella, you are more than welcome any time." Esme smiled and took Piper's hand. We said quick goodbye's and I watched them walk off in the direction of the main hospital entrance, Piper bouncing on her feet and talking a mile a minute.

Charlie and I went out for a late lunch a few days later after another doctor visit. We decided to stop at the small diner right off the main drag.

"What are you getting?" My eyes scanned the menu unable to make up my mind.

"Burger and fries."

"Of course." I laughed quietly. "How about something different?"

"Huh, maybe I'll add pepper jack cheese instead of cheddar."

Shaking my head and grinning I tossed my menu on the table. "You're really shaking things up there, Dad."

"Yeh, well, you know. Gotta keep people on their toes." He winked.

After deciding on the special, which happened to be grilled salmon, we sat in silence for a while. It was never uncomfortable to be quiet with Charlie, we were a lot alike in that way.

"So, I asked Sue out on a date."

My eyebrows nearly left my forehead. Sue was the hot nurse he'd been talking about in the hospital.

"Oh yeh?"

Charlie nodded. "Obviously it will have to wait until after I am well enough to drive myself, can't be having my daughter take me to the movies and Make-out Mountain."

"Oh god, Dad, really?" The image of my dad and Sue parked at the old make-out spot gave me shivers.

"I'm older but I'm not dead, Isabella." He rolled his eyes at me.

Oh boy, full name, time to tread lightly. "I know, it's just- interesting."

I never really considered my dad as a sexual being before. I don't know of a lot of people who take into consideration that their parents had sex more than what it took to have a baby.

I looked him over carefully. Charlie wasn't a bad looking guy. His hair was thick and dark, a few greys peeked out here and there, he still wore the same mustache that he'd grown out when I was five years old. His eyes matched mine, brown, only his seemed to have a little sparkle of mischief around the edges. His shoulders were broad and even though his eating habits were rather poor, he didn't have any extra weight on his belly. At the moment he had a shadow of a beard due to being off duty, it looked good on him.

"I like your beard, Dad. It looks good. You should keep that."

It wasn't like Edward's. His was more than a five o'clock shadow, it was grown out enough that you could see all the different shades of each whisker and it looked like it had gotten to that almost soft stage.

My dad pulled me from my Edward daydream.

"Beard?" Charlie rubbed at his chin. "This is hardly a beard, Bella."

Shrugging I smiled. "Whatever you want to call it, it looks good. You should keep it. I bet Sue digs it."

Charlie just humphed at me and thanked the waitress when she brought us our food.

We were halfway through our lunch when the devil himself walked into the diner wearing black jeans and a grey henley. The cotton fabric of the henley hugged Edward's chest, the sleeves were pushed up to his elbows and the ink on his arms was colored in bright pinks, purples and greens; definitely a Piper original. A grey slouchy beanie covered most of his hair and as I dragged my eyes over his profile, he turned; his forest green eyes met mine. My breath caught at the intensity they held, I couldn't stop staring. Song lyrics immediately popped into my head, _"What if I were Romeo in black jeans, what if I was Heathcliff, it's no myth, maybe she's just looking for someone to dance with."_

Without a smile or a nod of hello, he turned away and I could feel the heat of embarrassment burn at my neck.

Holy crap.

"What's up his ass?" My dad grumbled.

"Huh?"

"Don't give me that shit, Isabella Marie. I saw the way he stared at you. That kid is trouble. Just keep away from him. Good parents, but he's trouble."

Damn, full name twice today, I was on a roll.

"I'm not getting involved, Dad. And he's not a bad kid, why would you say that?"

Charlie stared at me, reading me like an open book.

"I don't want you to get hurt. He's not good for you. Period. I'll send you back to Arizona if I have to."

"Are you being serious here, Dad? You can't send me anywhere, I'm an _adult_."

Who peed in Charlie's Cheerios?

"Just don't get involved with him, please."

"No worries. He doesn't seem to like me much anyway."

I slid a sideways glance toward the front of the diner and watched Edward while he waited for an order to go. He leaned a hip against the long formica countertop and folded his arms across his chest. He certainly was pretty to look at I couldn't deny that fact. He still had that beard coming in, it was rather poofy now and I sort of wondered what it would feel like if he leaned into the crook between my shoulder and neck and pressed his mouth against my skin.

He looked back over at me again, I didn't turn away from him, knowing I'd been caught again; may as well own up to my curiosity. It didn't escape me though that he looked back. It also didn't escape the attention of my heart, which beat erratically under my shirt.

I was setting myself up to be hurt, but I could only hurt myself so much and thankfully Edward was keeping his distance. At least the hurt would only be a surface inflicted wound brought on by my own stupidity.

"Bella, please." My dad's voice was quiet, but brought me back down to Earth. "I don't know if you remember or not, but there was a time, many years ago, when that boy broke your heart. Don't let him do that again."

My dad had noticed my broken hearted crush?

Nodding, I took another bite of my salmon and didn't look back at Edward again. It was amazing how my dad could make me feel like I was sixteen again with just a few simple words. I reminded myself once again that I was leaving in a few weeks that this wasn't home anymore and Edward wasn't my friend.

* * *

**A/N**

He'll come around. Just got to give it time.  
Thank you again for all the love. Right back atcha! xOx

**Song**: Michael Penn - No Myth


	6. Chapter 6

"Daddy?"

"Yes, Pie?" She crawled up into my lap and held my cheeks in her hands. We'd been hanging out in the living room, wearing pajamas and watching movies.

"Are you sad?"

I frowned and took in her serious face, her lips were blue from a lollipop, her hair a mess of tangles.

"No way, Punky. Why would you think that?"

"'Cause we didn't go to the park this morning."

"You wanna go to the park?"

Pie nodded and a smile lit her small face. "YES!" She squealed.

"Alright, let's get moving then. We need to brush your hair and your teeth, you look like you're turning into a blue candy monster."

"You look like a hairy monster." Her small hands rubbing over my jaw and chin before jumping down from my lap. Giggles followed behind Piper as she ran down the hallway to her bedroom to get dressed.

To say I was avoiding even the slightest chance of running into Bella was an understatement. But when your four year old starts to notice that things aren't running as they normally would, you know you're fucking up and really, at twenty-nine, I shouldn't be hiding from anyone or anything.

I hadn't seen her in two days and the last time I had seen her at the diner, her dad gave me the 'don't touch' look. Like I needed to anger the Sheriff any more than I did as a kid growing up. Not that Charlie and I were on bad terms, but obviously he'd be protective of his daughter. I got that loud and clear and understood it better than most single guys my age. Just another reminder that even though I found Bella attractive, it wouldn't work.

"I'm ready!" Pie sang out as she skipped down the hall ten minutes later. She was wearing jeans and a plain black tshirt with her orange shoes. I sometimes worried that I should be buying her more dresses and pink and shoes that had glitter, but I wasn't good at that and so far, I'd been lucky; she was more interested in Ninja Turtles and music to care about dresses yet. Not that she didn't have them, my mom supplied her with a few, but she never chose to wear them. The closest she ever came to a dress was this insane tutu thing my mom bought her that Pie wore with regular tshirts. I loved that little girl the way she was, and knew that all too soon she'd be giggling at boys and twirling her hair and wanting nothing to do with her old dad.

"Let's brush your hair real quick. How about a pony tail?"

"How about two?" She held up two fingers.

"Sure. Two it is."

It took me about ten minutes to dig through the bed head and separate out two equal and even chunks of her hair to tie back separately.

"I love it, Daddy!" She shook her head around, her hair whipping across her face and wrapping around her neck.

"I'm glad, Pie. You look beautiful. But now we need sweatshirts and I need my shoes and then we can head out."

Since we didn't have Fozzy, we went straight over to the park by the school where they had the best swings and an awesome jungle gym. There was a large soccer field on one side of the park that lead out into the forest.

"Push me, Daddy!" Pie scrambled to get herself up on a swing, her small hands clutching at the metal chains.

"Hold on tight." Gripping the chains in my hands, I pulled her back toward me until her squeals filled the silence around us. "To the moon, Pie!" I let go of her and stood behind the swing ready to give her an extra push when needed.

There were only a handful of other kids at the park today, all older, probably around twelve or so. They were hanging out on the jungle gym, laughing and talking. It brought back memories of summer time, first kisses, camp fires and sleeping out in the backyard in a tent.

"Hey Pie, you wanna camp out tonight? We can get the tent and make a fire in the pit."

"Yes! And shmores?"

Laughing I nodded, "Of course, lots of s'mores. But we'll need to go to the store to get all that stuff."

"I see Bella!" Pie's shout came out of the blue.

Oh fuck. Not now. I looked out toward the soccer field and saw Bella, but she was with someone, sitting on a large blanket. She had a ring of flowers in her hair and her feet were bare.

Piper slid off the swing and started running in her direction.

"Come, Daddy."

"Piper."

She kept running.

"Piper Elliott. Stop."

This got her attention, she came to a complete frozen halt and stared at me.

"What Daddy? Let's go see Bella. She's my friend and she's nice."

"Pie," I crouched down in front of my daughter so that we were closer to eye level. "Remember when we had that talk the other day?"

She nodded.

"Bella doesn't live here, sweetie, she has to go back to her home soon, I don't want you to think that she's going to be here forever."

"I know that, Daddy. But she can still be my friend right now."

Dammit. Pie and her thirty year old logic and shit ruining my plans of staying the hell away from that woman.

"Well, she's with someone. We don't want to interrupt."

"It's just Uncah Sam." She pointed, eyes squinting.

Oh fucking wonderful. That makes it all better.

"Come, Daddy." And with that, my bullheaded daughter took off running across the field.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and breathed deeply. I needed a little fucking piece of control here and my four year old just ran off with it.

**xBx**

"Bella! Uncah Sam!"

I heard the loud greeting right before a small body hit my back, wrapping little arms around my neck.

"Hi Bella! It's me, Piper. Don't be scared."

Sam was laughing, but I couldn't help but feel a small sense of trepidation with Piper's presence; it meant that Edward was on his way as well. Just what I needed today, an encounter with the grumpy bastard.

I quickly shook off the anxious feeling and pulled Piper around me, tickling her until she fell on the blanket next to me.

"You sneaky girl."

She just giggled and rolled over to Sam, who scooped her up into his large arms. Sam and I had met up for a picnic and to hang out for a while. Lauren was working and my dad was catching up on the dvr with a few of his buddies.

A long shadow moved over me and covered part of Sam and Piper.

"Hey Ed." Sam jumped up and he and Edward proceeded to fist bump each other and do some weird finger-handshake thing. Boys.

"How did you make this?" Piper touched a flower in my head. I'd been weaving flower jewelry while Sam and I enjoyed the sunshine.

"I can show you, if you like."

"Yes, please!"

"We have to go over there, by the trees, and get some flowers." Twisting, I looked up at Edward; his long lean legs were encased in jeans that looked well loved and worn. "Do you mind if Piper walks with me to get some flowers?"

"That's fine. Piper, behave."

"Kay!"

The little girl grabbed my hand and we walked to a small cluster of wild flowers.

"We have to be sure to pick the ones with long bendy stems, so we can weave them together."

Piper squatted down, pushed her bangs back with a quick shove and began examining each flower, each blade of grass as if the world depended on her to make the correct choice. She really was a pretty cool kid.

Sitting next to her I pointed to a few wild daisies. "Those would be good, they have really long skinny stems."

"Okay." She bit her bottom lip and the tip of her tongue came out as she concentrated on picking just the right ones.

It took us a good five minutes, but we found a nice bundle of purple and yellow wildflowers to go with our daisies.

"Look, Daddy. I got the flowers, now Bella is going to show me how to do it."

Edward smiled at Piper, something I hadn't seen him do since we ran into each other at the grocery store. That smile really did amazing things for him.

"Looks awesome, baby."

Piper and I sat and built a wreath for her head and a small bracelet for her wrist.

"Look, now I'm pretty like you, Bella." She said once we settled the flowers around her head, carefully pulling her pigtails over the crown to help keep it in place.

"You were already pretty, Piper. Silly girl."

"But now I look like a girl."

Edward frowned at her comment and internally I flinched, just waiting for him to glare at me for having done something wrong. But he never looked at me.

"You look beautiful, Pie." Sam stood up and bowed in front of her. "May I have a dance?"

"Yes you may, Uncah Sam."

Off they went, twirling through the grass, Sam singing an old Van Morrison song at the top of his lungs, leaving me alone with Edward. I refused to be the first to start a conversation. I didn't want to punish myself.

Edward stood up and I cursed the part of me that was sad for him to go.

"Will you do me the honor?" His large hand came at me to help me stand.

"Um. What?" His back and forth was giving me whiplash.

"Do you wanna dance or not?"

"Well, when you put it that way, how could I not?"

His sigh was overly exaggerated.

"I'm trying, okay, Bella?"

"Trying to do what, Edward? The last time I saw you, you shot daggers at me, the time before that you chastised me for being nice to Piper. So exactly what are you trying to do now?"

"You haven't changed at all. You are such a bullheaded woman, you can't even see when someone is trying to be friendly toward you."

"Excuse me? I know very well when someone is trying to be friendly toward me. What I don't understand is you. You're absolutely against me being around Piper, to the point where you make it very clear with not so subtle glares when she's not even around. I don't know why you're so angry at me, or why you can't just enjoy life and embrace it for what it is, but this," I waved at his hand. "...isn't just a smooth over. Either we're friends or we're not. I'd like for us to be friends, but I would respect your wishes and stay away if you're that worried about Piper becoming attached."

"Dance with me." His fingers wiggled and I raised an eyebrow. "Please."

My stomach shamefully fluttered when I grabbed his hand to help pull myself up. We stepped off of the blanket and I nearly put my foot in a plate of half eaten brownies.

"You really haven't changed." Edward's low, quiet laugh curled my toes.

"Just because a girl trips once or twice doesn't make her a lost cause you know."

"Oh, I know." The intimate tone in his voice, as if we truly were great friends who shared a past and memories, made me want to dance circles around him. But that would be presumptuous of me. I hardly knew this grown Edward and he was proving to be damn wishy-washy.

Piper squealed loudly and I looked over to see Sam running her around like an airplane in circles.

Edward chose that moment to spin me through the grass, my toes barely touching the cool ground as he lifted me. The laughter left me before I could keep myself in check, the skirt of my dress flared around my legs and it finally felt like summer.

Edward put me back down, but settled my bare feet on top of his booted ones, our legs moving together as he waltzed around a large tree. His right hand engulfed mine and my left hand gripped the back of his other arm to stay steady when I felt his fingers curl into the fabric at my lower back.

He smelled amazing like clean soapy man and mint. I was suddenly very glad that I had decided to wear a little perfume, not that I should just assume he'd even noticed, but it was nice to think he did. He still hadn't shaved, his lips full behind more growth and a piece of his too long hair hung over his brow.

"How's your dad?"

I looked up into his clear green eyes, caught off guard by his sudden willingness to talk.

"He's okay. Healing up really well and if he flunks physical therapy it's because he likes hanging out with Sue."

Edward grinned. "Sue was my pt nurse when I broke my arm a few years ago."

I felt my eyebrow raise at his comment.

"I've not yet been able to really meet her. Apparently my dad asked her out on a date after he's well enough to drive again."

"Sounds like he's happy."

"Yeh, I guess so. I mean, besides being shot."

Edward danced me around the tree once more. The cool grass tickled my heels that hung over the toes of his boots, the breeze blowing through my hair. I still had the strangest urge to touch the hair on his jaw, my eyes traced the lines of his mouth. Edward's hand tightened at my back and I quickly shifted my gaze.

"Daddy!" Piper yelled from across the soccer field. Sam had her on his shoulders; she was clutching another batch of flowers. "Do it again, twirl Bella."

Edward looked down at me, dark eyes unyielding and I struggled to swallow.

"For the kid?"

I nodded because my voice decided not to work at that point. Before I could think twice, I was being spun, laughing when Edward dipped me.

Stay with me, heart. Don't go running off without me.

* * *

**A/N**  
It's after 1am and I am now two days late on delivering for you wonderful people. Please accept my deepest apologies and if I could, I'd buy you all a scoop of ice cream with whatever toppings you love most.

Who love Van Morrison as much as I do? What's your favorite song by him? It is so hard for me to pick just one, I fell in love with him in the seventh grade, (thanks mom) and never looked back. While writing this chapter, the songs that I was listening to were:

**"Sweet Thing"**  
And you shall take me strongly  
In your arms again  
And I will not remember  
That I even felt the pain.  
We shall walk and talk  
In gardens all misty and wet with rain  
And I will never, never, never  
Grow so old again.

**"Ballerina"**  
And if somebody, not just anybody  
Wanted to get close to you  
For instance, me, baby  
All you gotta do  
Is ring a bell

But the song that Sam chose to sing at the top of his lungs while dancing Piper through the summery soccer field was the ever loved classic...

**"Into The Mystic"**  
And I want to rock your gypsy soul  
Just like way back in the days of old  
And together we will flow into the mystic  
Come on girl...  
Too late to stop now.

I hope that you all enjoy the picnic.  
Until we meet again,  
**xQx **


	7. Chapter 7

"I brought lunch!" I waved a greasy paper bag in Sam's direction as he made his way toward the small waiting area where I stood. I had decided to surprise him with a quick burger lunch and see his place of business.  
The garage bays looked full and there were three cars out in waiting spots that looked like they either needed servicing or were ready for their owners to pick them up.

"You sure you can't stay?" Sam's dark eyes sparkled, his smile a little wild and untamed. "I mean, Forks could probably handle having you back." He leaned over and sniffed at the bag. "And I could definitely get down with lunch deliveries."

"As much as I love Forks and you," I winked, "I really do enjoy Flagstaff and my kids at the school."

"We've got kids here, Bella. Pie is the cutest one of them all."

"Are you using a four year old to guilt me into moving back to Forks? Sam, I am shocked."

"Whatever, Bells." Leaning over the counter he grabbed the bag that held our burgers and onion rings. "Come on, let's go sit in my office."

Sam laid out two napkins and paper plates on his old battered desk and dug the food from the bag.

"So you and Ed seem to be getting along?"

"I guess." I sat my burger down and watched Sam as he chewed. "What are you phishing for?"

Shaking his head, his dark eyes warm and mischievous. "I'm not phishing for shit, sweetheart. Just making observations."

"Well, the hot and cold with him is a little weird. He seemed happy when we ran into each other my first night here, then he was grumpy and pissy because he didn't want me to be around Piper, then he was okay again and actually went above and beyond in his attempt to be friendly." I shrugged. "You know him better than I do."

"Some days I think I know him better than he knows himself." Sam popped an entire onion ring into his mouth and chewed. "He's just been through shit. I'm going to tell you this because I think it will help you understand a little better." Sam wiped his hands on a napkin, his fingers stained black in spots from working all morning. His inky black hair fell over his forehead brushing across thick brows.

"When Pie was born, she was very early. She was hooked up to machines and stayed in an incubator for almost a month. Two days after that sweet baby was born Edward made a run back to his apartment to get some personal belongings when he got back to the hospital Valerie was gone. She'd checked out and left town."

My heart thudded a hollow feeling in my gut.

"Wow. I had no idea."

Nodding, Sam continued. "So Edward was a single daddy from day two. He spent every waking moment in that hospital. I flew out to see him, his mom and dad went out to see him as well and convinced him to come back to Forks with Pie as soon as she was able to travel. He worked his ass off, he was up all night with a newborn and working all day. Esme and Carlisle were lifesavers, they did everything in their power to make sure he was okay and that that baby was well cared for at all times."

"Does Piper's mom ever see her?"

Sam shook his head, a frown marring his handsome face. "Nope. Never once since she left the hospital over four years ago." His eyes met mine. "So you see, Bella, Edward's just a little... cautious."

"I can understand that." His odd behavior in regards to Piper made much better sense now. Of course he'd be gun shy when it came to a woman being in her life. Especially after her mother up and walked out without looking back.

"Oh shit." Sam was watching me, his voice quiet.

"What?"

"You like him still."

"Whatever, Sam." I waved him off. "I'm leaving in a few weeks."

"Doesn't matter. It's plain as day, just like when we were kids. You really like him."

"I hardly know the person he's become, I can't possibly like anything more about him than what I remember him to be."

"You like him." Sam nodded and popped the last bite his burger into his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. "You know, he used to like you, back when we were in high school."

"What?" I coughed around a bit of my onion ring. Well this was news to me.

"Oh yeh. Had it bad for you. Thought you were sweet." He shrugged one large shoulder. "Problem was, his best friend had a crush on you, so he wouldn't have ever made a move."

"Double what?" I stared at Sam, the guy who had been a rock when I needed to lean on someone, was always there with a joke and a hug.

He laughed, wiping a napkin across his mouth.

"Hey, we all have secret crushes."

"Holy crap. No way."

He just smiled and nodded at me.

"Rose used to tell me all the time that you were in love with me, but I never really bought it. I'm sorry, Sam."

"No way, Bells. Don't be sorry. If I hadn't been such a pussy I'd have spoken up and said something, but watching you pine for Edward was enough for me to know better."

Even if I had known for sure about Sam in school, I still wouldn't have reciprocated the feelings, sometimes things work out for the best. We were able to remain the best of friends without the awkward breakup and first kiss scenes. Not that Sam wasn't a good man and a good_-looking_ man at that I just wasn't attracted to him in a romantic way.

"Mind blown right now, Sam." I took a long drink of my soda and sat back in the old folding chair, tucking my left foot up under my right thigh.

Sam laughed again and emptied his drink in one gulp. "No biggie, Bella. Really. I'm a big boy now and I realize that it wouldn't have worked out for us, even if we had tried. You're more sister than spank bank material."

"Oh god, Sam. Now I'm picturing things."

He wagged an eyebrow at me and I couldn't control my laughter.

"I don't mean to interrupt."

My laughter cut out immediately at the gruff voice that came from behind me. In my flustered state I attempted to jump up from my seat and pitched forward nearly smacking my teeth off of Sam's desk. A strong hand wrapped around my bicep holding me steady as I situated myself.

"Seriously, you never outgrew this shit, did you?"

Although I could hear the teasing edge in Edward's voice, his constant reminders of my shittastic balance were not exactly welcome.

"We can't all be as graceful as you, Cullen." I grabbed my purse and glanced at Sam, who was sitting back in his large desk chair with a face full of smug amusement. Damn him.

"I have to go, Sam. Thanks for lunch, we should do it again soon." I dipped around Edward, who smelled absolutely divine, and whose jeans made his ass look delicious. Memories of dancing with him in the park ran rampant through my cluttered head.

Don't stare.

"Adios, Edward. Have a great one, guys."

"See ya around, Bella." Sam grinned and nodded.

Edward's quiet stare caused my heart flip once.

I ducked out of the office and through the small waiting area of Sam's shop. Standing outside in the cool, wet air, beads of moisture covered vehicles, dripped from trees and turned the dirt to mud; I breathed in deeply and cleared my cluttered mind. Having been told that Edward had, once upon a time, liked me even a fraction of the amount that I had liked him, really burned. Him showing up right after that information was passed on felt almost like a violation of a long ago kept secret. I didn't have the nerve to look at him and that bothered me.

A chill shook me and I dug my grey beanie from my oversized purse and pulled it over my hair before starting my car to head home.

**~.~.~**

"Yeh, he's doing great, Mom."

Lux purred and pushed his head into my lap as I sat on my bed talking to Renee.

"That's good to hear, baby. How's Forks? You have people to hang out with while you're there?"

"Yeh, Sam's here and Lauren and I've seen Edward a few times."

My mom knew all about Edward Cullen and how I'd pined away for him for so long.

"How's everyone doing?"

I shrugged, running my fingers over Lux's ears. "Everyone is great. Lauren is a nurse at the hospital; Sam runs his own auto shop and Edward-" I paused, what _did_ Edward do? "Edward has a four year old daughter. She's so cute."

"He's married?"

"No. I guess his fiancé walked out while the baby was still in the hospital. He hasn't heard from her since."

"That is such a shame." My mom tisked quietly through the line.

"Rose and Emmett are coming down this weekend." In an attempt to stop talking about Edward, I brought up my mom's next favorite thing, Rosalie and Emmett. She loved the shit out of those two.

"That's wonderful, Bella! You haven't seen Rose in a while now. Are they staying at the B&B in town?"

"Yeh. Not enough room in this little house for everyone. I'm really excited for her to get here."

"I'm sure you are, sweetie." I could hear the nostalgia in her smile through the phone line. "Please let her know that I said hello and miss her and that she and Emmett need to get down here for a vacation."

"I will do that."

"I miss you, Bells."

"I miss you too, Mom." And I did. I missed having her close to me, my mom was my best friend. She understood me better than anyone. Though Charlie was a close second. That man could sniff me out of a lie better than a bloodhound on the hunt.

"So talk to Edward, Bella. You never know."

"I think Dad would shoot him if he thought I was talking to him again."

My mom's sigh came through loud and clear. "That man. No one is ever going to be good enough for his baby. But maybe this is your second chance, Bella. Perhaps fate has stepped in and brought you back to Forks for a reason."

My mom, ever the romantic, believing in fate and destiny; I would be lying if I said I didn't have a little a bit of that inside myself, but I also had a more practical view on life as well. Why would fate shoot my dad to create a love match? Fate has a sick sense of humor.

"I don't know Mom. I'm here for another two weeks or so. I don't think a love match is in the making."

"Never say never, baby." I heard the doorbell ring in the background. "Bella, I have to go, Hunny. Bruce is here, we're going for a picnic in the mountains."

"Sounds great, Mom. I love you. Tell Bruce I said hi."

"Will do! Love you too, sweetie."

I ended the call and flopped back into my pillows, Lux crawled his fat butt up my body until he was perched on my chest, his head under my chin.

My mom had been seeing Bruce for six months now and things seemed to be moving toward serious. I really liked Bruce, he was a year older than my mom, never married, no kids, but he had an English bulldog, Alistair, that he babied the shit out of. It was actually kind of cute, minus all the slobber. I was so grateful that Lux didn't slobber. That dog sometimes looked like he had shoelaces dangling from his jowls.

"Well, Lux, I think it's about dinner time, what do you say?" The cat stretched his paws into my shoulder and mewed quietly. "Yeh, I thought so." I rubbed under his chin before scooping him into my arms and heading downstairs to spend time with my dad.

**.~.~.~.~.**

"Great chicken, Bells." Charlie scarfed down one plate and had moved on to a second before I could blink.

"Thanks, Dad. It's just baked, nothing fancy."

Charlie lifted his dark eyes and looked me over.

"What's wrong?"

"What?" I stared back from across the table. His mustache twitched, eyebrows furrowed.

He pointed his fork at me, leaning on an elbow. "What's going on with you, Bella? You seem moody. I haven't seen you moody since you were seventeen."

"Eh, I'm not moody, just working over the curriculum for the next year. Getting excited to see Rose and Emmett this weekend."

Please don't push, please don't push. The small voice in my head willed Charlie back to his meal.

"No. No this is different, Isabella. I know what this is." His fork wiggled at me. "You've got boys on the brain."

"Oh my god, Dad, really? Boys on the brain? I'm not in sixth grade, I don't have 'boys on the brain'."

Charlie eyed me, not letting me off easily.

"It's Edward isn't it?" I watched his shoulders move as he took in a breath.

"Dad, there is nothing going on with Edward and me. I don't know why you're pushing at this."

"You darn well know why I'm pushing. Because I know you, and I can see it when he's around, you turn all mushy. I just worry about you, Bella. I worry that you're about to get hurt and I don't want to send you home hurting."

"Dad, I'm not going to get hurt. Unless I trip over myself and bap my head off the sidewalk or something."

"Make light of it all you want, Bells, I know you're grown and you are more than capable of taking care of yourself, but a broken heart is harder to heal than a scraped knee." He put his fork down, eyes softening. "You could do worse, I suppose. Edward isn't a bad guy, just don't want to see you upset. And that's all I am going to say about it."

I nodded, unable to think of anything clever to lob back in his direction. He was right, I was a grown woman, I could handle myself and if I let myself become upset, so be it. My own fault, dammit.


	8. Chapter 8

Fuck. Dammit. This was the last thing I needed at the moment.

"I'm sorry, Edward, you know I'd take Pie all week if I could, but I have to go out of town and your dad is busy with work." My mom was genuinely upset I knew that. The fact that I was freaking out wasn't helping matters.

I pinched at the bridge of my nose, closed my eyes and breathed in. Maybe Sam could help me out, or maybe Leah.

"I know, Mom. Don't worry, I'll figure something out. I'll call Sam and see if he's got a few days that he can take Pie."

I needed to go to Seattle for a while the following week for work, and apparently my mom had some business related trip in California.

"You know, you could ask Bella. I bet she'd watch Piper for you." My mom nudged at my side with her elbow. "And you know Pie loves being around her."

"Ma. Not right now."

"Edward. You are in need of someone to watch your daughter so that you can work." My mom's no nonsense tone picked up speed as she hurled her words at me. "Bella is a school teacher and a wonderful person. She is more than capable of caring for Pie for a few days next week while you are gone. Don't be a stubborn jackass. Call her." She thumped the back of my head and walked out of the living room, the heels of her shoes clicking on the tiled floor of the hall as if driving home her point. Rolling my eyes, I huffed out a breath like a petulant child.

"Daddy!" Pie came running into the room not five minutes later, flinging her little body into my lap on the couch. She had been out with my dad to do grocery shopping.

"Hey Punky." Wrapping my arms around her, I kissed her forehead and grinned.

"Got you sumpin." She grinned up at me. "Close your eyes."

Squeezing my eyes shut as tight as I could, she proceeded, "Hold out your hand."

I followed her directions and felt something small press into my palm.

"Open 'um!"

I peeked at her slowly, her smile growing wider.

"Look at it!"

Laughing quietly, I looked. There in the center of my palm, was a small polished stone made of swirls of brown, grey, and green.

"Wow, Pie." I turned the small stone over in my hand. "Where did you get this?"

"I got it at the store." She smiled once again. "Iss pretty."

Nodding I smiled. "It is. Almost as pretty as you." Her arms wrapped tight around my neck, little kisses sprinkled all over my cheeks, lips and nose.

**xBx**

"Ahhhh!"

The squeals of excitement couldn't be held in. Rose and I ran at each other like five year olds, arms open wide, catching each other in an embrace and squeezing tight.

"Oh my god, I've missed you so much, Bella." Rose whispered.

"Me too." My eyes burned with unshed tears.

"Awww, come on, ladies." Emmett's playful tone cut through the girlie madness taking place in front of my dad's house. "Let's get some food and beer, no crying."

"Oh shut it, Emmett." Rose ran a finger under her perfectly made up eyes.

"Come here, Bells." Emmett's arms gathered me up before I could run the other way. He was known for his epic, bone crushing, hugs.

"Take it easy, Em." My breath whooshed out of my chest as he lifted me off of my feet. "Shit. Easier, Em. Easier."

Rose's laughter caught my ear.

"Tell your giant to put me down." I attempted to give the big oaf a noogie and managed only to mess up the dark fauxhawk he was rocking.

Emmett leaned in and left a loud smacking kiss on my cheek. "You know I love you, Bells."

"I know. I know." I laughed at his sweet little boy face, dropping a kiss on his cheek in return.

Emmett was six foot three of pure muscle and goofiness. His heart was probably the softest of any I'd ever known, always willing to do things for others but never one for taking any shit. He was perfect for my best friend and I loved him almost as much as I did Rose.

"Hey, Poppa C." Rose wrapped her arms around my dad and hugged gently as we came into the house. "Guess that guy missed the memo that it takes more than a few bullets to bring you down, huh?"

My dad, attempting to keep the sweat from his eyes, cleared his throat as he hugged Rose back.

"Eh. I'm just too ornery."

They both laughed and Emmett came up and shook hands with my dad.

"Hey Charlie. How's it going, man?"

"Not bad, Emmett. Nice of you guys to come down for a visit, good to see you and Rosie again." My dad grinned.

**...**

"Do tell, Isabella." Rose flopped onto my bed on her stomach, her long golden locks spilled over her shoulders, violet eyes shining. "I know Edward is here, he's single, you're single." She wagged a perfectly manicured eyebrow at me.

"Dear lord." I pushed a pillow into my face. "What is with everyone and Edward?"

"If you thought your crush was so subtle, you're in for a big surprise, doll face." Rose patted my knee and yanked the pillow from my hands. "Everyone knew. And now that you're back and he's here, I mean, are you gonna hit that or what?"

"Can I just say, that yes, he's attractive." Rose rolled her eyes at my non-committal.

"Just hear me out, Rose. It's been interesting, to say the least and you know I'm not into the one night thing."

"Oh I know all about you, Bella, which is why I'm laying here in your old bedroom trying to figure out what's stopping you. Other than your obviously soft heart."

"Yeh, see, there's that. I just don't know him anymore, Rose. He was my kid crush growing up. He was the unattainable hottie up the street who always got into trouble, had a wicked grin and a smart mouth." I grabbed my pillow back up stuffing it into my lap so that I could lean forward on my elbows. "He's not exactly been warm to me since I've been back."

Rose's eyes widened, but I stopped her from spouting off about what she thought with a quick shake of my head.

"Hang on, I'll let you have your say, but I have to be fair and tell the whole story."

I proceeded to fill Rose in on the first meeting at the grocery store, his gruff dismissal at his parent's house, seeing him at the diner, dancing in the park and then seeing him again at Sam's. All the while filling her in on Piper. I didn't let on that I knew her mother left her and Edward at the hospital, it wasn't my story to tell.

Rose gracefully moved to a sitting position, her feet tucked under my blanket.

"Okay, so here's how I see it, Bella."

I braced myself, knowing that I was about to get a heaping helping of reality. Rose wasn't ever one to beat around the bush or hide from a truth.

"I think that you need to let it go. I mean really, truly, let it go. Enjoy this time for what it is and be there for him. Sounds like he could use a good ear, I know he has Sam, but sometimes you can't tell your guy friends certain shit." Squaring her shoulders, she continued. "Here's the deal, you have the hots for him, you always have, Bella. The question is, are you ever going to do anything about it? Or will you just let it go once and for all?"

Once and for all. It sounded so final, like the last nail being hammered into the coffin of my childhood.

"I just want to not feel heavy about this."

"I know, Bella. I do. So be here, enjoy your summer, take care of Charlie, hang out with Lauren and Sam. And if you happen to make a new friend along the way, just go with it."

"Just go with it." I muttered.

The silence between Rose and I was interrupted by loud thumping feet coming up the stairs.

"Hey ladies." Emmett grinned, showing off his dimples. "Am I interrupting, because I was thinking maybe we could head out and grab some beers, maybe some bar food?" He leaned against my doorframe as if he was holding the wall up "Charlie's got some dudes coming over to watch some tv."

"Yeh, give me a minute to clean up?"

Rose leaned in and kissed my nose.

"You have ten minutes, girl. Move your ass." She grinned while bouncing off the bed and into Emmett's arms.

I ran for my phone and texted Lauren and Sam to meet us at the Dive for drinks before tossing off my yoga pants and pulling on an old ripped up pair of jeans. I really should get rid of them, the holes were getting a bit out of control, but they were so soft and fit perfectly. I quickly braided my hair and tied it up with a rubber band and ribbon. I was wearing contacts so I brushed some mascara on my lashes, glossed my lips and grabbed my purse.

"I'm ready!" I shouted as my bare feet ran down the stairs. On the second to last step I pitched forward slightly and tried to counter the move by flinging myself backward. My heel slid from one step to the next jarring my body.

"Holy shit." I breathed out, my hand gripping the railing, just as the clapping started. I looked up at Charlie and Emmett who both wore shit eating grins.

"Yeh yeh. I'll be here all week."

The burn of embarrassment crept over my neck and my cheeks. Awesome.

"Shoes, Bella." Rose pointed at my feet.

"Yeh, they're at the door." Hugging Charlie tight, I sauntered past my crowd as gracefully as I could, to find my sandals.

**xEx**

I drove past the sheriff's house looking to see if Bella was home. Her car was in the drive so naturally I drove right on by. Why did I not already possess the woman's phone number? Oh right, because I was a dick.

At the end of her street I turned around, paused for a moment and then drove back slowly. So much for not letting shit get to me.

I knocked once on the door and was greeted a bit later by Charlie.

"Edward." He stood there, brown eyes staring me down.

"Good evening, Sir. Is Bella home?"

His mustache twitched, eyes hard.

"No. She went out with some friends for the evening."

"Do you happen to know where they went?"

Could this be any more awkward? Shit.

"She's at the Dive, but listen to me, Edward." He shifted on his leg subtly, obviously trying to take the pressure off the wounded one. "You hurt her, you even so much as make her doubt herself and I will hunt you down and make you hurt. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir. Understood."

"Good then." Charlie's posture relaxed a bit. "Enjoy your evening, don't drink and drive."

"Never do, Sir. And thank you again, I appreciate your help."

**...**

The Dive wasn't nearly as busy as it was last weekend; I found a parking space right up front. There were only a few people out on the front porch seating area, smoking and drinking. It was definitely a more laid back, local scene tonight.

As I got out of my car and hit the lock button on the key fob, I noticed Sam's truck parked at the opposite side of the lot. Is that who Bella had come with tonight? Sam? And why all of a sudden did it even matter?

Scratching at my bearded chin I made my way inside the bar, scanned the patrons and immediately found Bella, laughing, eyes sparkling, a half empty beer glass in front of her in the dim light. And suddenly, I knew why it mattered, because I wanted to make her smile like that. I wanted to buy her beer. I wanted her to look at me like she used to, like I was it for her. But I was a stupid kid back then and now she didn't even live here. My armored heart twisted behind it's iron gate of ribs.

"Aww fuck." I muttered when her eyes met mine from across the room. Her mouth dipped in curiosity as I walked toward her.

As I neared the table, I realized that it wasn't just Sam there with her. Lauren sat next to him and there was a face I'd not seen in years; Rosalie Hale. And next her was a beast of guy, his hulking arm slung over the back of Rose's chair.

"Hey Ed!" Sam stood up and leaned across the full table to bump fists. "Thought you'd be in with Pie tonight. Pull up a chair, man."

"I can't stay." I looked down at Bella. "I actually came to talk to you for a minute."

The pulse at the base of her throat jumped as she looked back at me.

"Uh, yeh, what's up?" Her voice was quiet.

"Maybe we could talk over there?" I nodded to an empty table at the back of the room.

Bella nodded and stood up. "Be right back guys."

"Good to see you, Rose." I smiled and she winked at me.

"You too, Edward."

The guy next to her just grinned like a dope and Lauren stared at Bella.

Bella's painted on dark denim had many holes tonight. One on each thigh, one at her knee and fuck me, when I allowed her to walk in front of me, there was one at her back right pocket and she was wearing pink panties. Like a arrow to my gut, my immediate physical reaction to her nearly knocked me off my feet.

I held a chair out for her and then sat myself across the table.

"What's up, Edward?" Her eyes full of concern.

"A few things, actually." I folded my hands in my lap under the table in an effort to not touch the soft, pale skin of her cheek.

"First, I'd like to apologize for my difficult behavior. I sometimes have a hard time when it comes to Pie and I really need to get that shit in check. It isn't you, it really is me."

"What a line." She laughed. "But really, I have to agree, it is you." Her eyes softened once again. "But I understand, and I don't hold that against you, Edward. Thank you for the apology though, it means the world to me."

She wasn't wearing the large framed glasses tonight that she normally had on, and it was almost as if she'd let a part of her guard down by not. Bella leaned in closer to the table, her fingers laced together and rested on the cool, flat surface.

"Also, I'd like to say thank you for making Pie feel special. She really does enjoy your company and thinks the world of you. She's been running around looking for more flowers to to tie together for necklaces and her hair. I definitely couldn't have taught her that." Breathing deeply, I caught the sweet flowery scent of Bella's perfume. I bit back a low groan as my jeans became a little tighter.

"It's my pleasure. Piper is such a sweet kid, Edward. I wasn't lying when I said you were doing a great job raising her. She's kind and caring and she has a genuine curiosity about life and the world around her. You're doing a much better job that a lot of parents, trust me, I know." Her lips twisted in thought.

"Bella, I know you're here to help your dad, but could I maybe ask you a favor?" Fuck, this was making sound like an asshole.

"Sure, anything." She smiled again and my heart twisted once more.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't really need the help, and please, don't feel like you have to say yes."

"Edward." Her laughter bubbled up, eyes gleaming with humor. "Just ask me."

My gaze strayed to her lips, tracing their full, shimmering, pink outline, an insatiable urge to possess that mouth threatened to take me over. I took in my fill of her lightly freckled nose and back to those espresso warm eyes. Awareness lit them, her lips parting. I fisted my hands in my lap, pressing them tight into the tops of my thighs.

"I have to go to Seattle for a few days and I was wondering if you'd be able to stay with Pie? My mom left for California and my dad has to work, I can't really bring her with me. You can stay at my place, I have a guest room and I'll fill the fridge and give you gas money and play money. You can even bring your cat if you want." Realizing I sounded like a stuttering bastard, I shut my mouth.

"Yeh, sure. I'd love to hang out with Pie. What days?"

"I have to leave really early Wednesday morning, so if you could stay Tuesday night, and then I'd be home on Friday evening."

"Yeh, I can do that. No problem at all. Charlie has an appointment on Tuesday morning, so I'm free the next few days. Would it be okay though if I brought Piper to my dad's house for dinners?"

"Totally cool, Bells. I'm sure Pie would love to wrap one more person around her finger." And I had a feeling she'd wrap the sheriff good and tight around her pinky.

"I'll um, get your number from Sam, I don't have my phone with me right now, and I'll text you to be sure we're still on the same page for Tuesday night." I couldn't be certain, but I thought I saw a tinge of pink spread over her cheeks.

We stood at the same time, my fingers tingled as I let up on their tight grip.

"Thank you so much, Bella. I owe you huge. You're amazing." And without a thought, I leaned into her slight frame and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

Her breath floated out over my neck, my shoulders tensed and I stepped back.

"Okay. See you Tuesday." My throat was tight, words gruff even to my ears. What the fuck did this woman do to me?

Bella just stood there nodding as I turned and made a beeline for the exit.


	9. Chapter 8 34

**A/N  
****WARNING****: This is NOT a full chapter. It is very short.**

**...  
The conversation Sam had with Edward on Saturday when Edward approached him about watching Piper. This conversation happens before Edward sees everyone at the bar.**

**xOx**

* * *

_**Saturday Afternoon**_

"Sorry man," Sam sighed. "You know I'd help you out if I could. The garage is just crazy right now. I've got six critical this week, not to mention the everyday brakes, oil and air filters."

"Yeh, it's cool. I just thought I'd ask," I hated to ask friends to watch Pie, it always felt like I was trying to push her off onto someone, even though that was the furthest thing from the truth.

"We should talk though, now that I've got you alone for a few minutes."

"Shit, dude. If you're breaking up with me can we just save it for another day, my heart can't take that shit right now."

Sam roared with laughter. "No, not quite, man."

"Alright then, what's up?"

Sam leaned back in his chair at his desk. I couldn't help but think of Bella sitting here, laughing so openly with him and how I desperately wanted that to be me. Even though I knew it wouldn't last, that she would leave.

"Bella."

"Excuse me?" Well that pulled me right out of fantasyland.

"You like her."

"Look, man. It's nothing, really."

Was Sam about to try to throw down for Bella? She'd definitely be worth it. A black eye, some broken ribs, I'd take it if it meant she'd kiss them all better. I just wasn't down to lose Sam, who was more a brother to me than friend.

"No, it's not nothing," He folded his large hands on his desktop. "She likes you too, you know."

"Sam," I blew out a heavy breath. "I know you like her. I know you've been totally into her since we were kids."

Sam laughed again and it was starting to irritate me.

"Stop fucking laughing at me," I warned.

"I'm not laughing at you," He grinned. "I'm laughing at the absurdity of this fucking situation."

"Well then, enlighten me, oh wise one." I snarked.

"Bella has liked you since we were kids. She never liked me like that. Ever. Not even when I wished she would just get the fuck over you after you left," Sam's dark eyes were sharp, not backing down from his truth. "I never stood a chance, but you did and with your misguided bullshit about how you couldn't overstep, _bro boundaries_, you let her go."

"Like I was going to be the douchebag who stole the girl from his best friend?" I growled. "What kind of asshole do you think I am?"

"I think you're the kind of asshole who's afraid to be hurt, so he's hiding behind this stupid fucking bro code bullshit still. Go ahead and hide behind me, hide behind Piper," He glared at me. "You can't deny that you hide behind her and use her as your excuse to not get close to someone. But when the best thing in the fucking world is standing right in front of you and you walk away from it because you're a fucking idiot, don't cry when she doesn't come back. Because listen to me, Edward, someone is going to fall in love with her and someone is going to steal her heart and make her happy for the rest of her life. You have this fucking opportunity to make shit happen. Don't be a fucking pussy."

"She's not staying, Sam!" My voice vibrated off the walls of the small office. "Why the fuck should I put myself out there for someone who isn't staying?" My chest constricted with emotion.

Leaning toward me, Sam lowered his voice, "Give her a reason to stay. Ask her to stay."

"I can't fucking do that."

"Then you're a bigger idiot than I thought you were."

"How can I ask her stay here? She's got a job and her mom and friends, a whole fucking life that has nothing to do with us, with Forks, with any of this. How can I ask her to leave her life behind?"

"Easy. You say to her, 'Bella, I'm in love with you. Please stay.'"

My heart came to a quick, thunderous, beat skipping, halt. Was I in love with Bella Swan?

Sam nodded, as if encouraging my thought process, "Yes, Edward. You love her. You always have. If she knew, I think you'd have a fighting chance of this working out, of her staying."

"And if I tell her and she laughs and leaves anyway?" My heart couldn't handle that shit.

"Then she's not the girl I thought she was," Sam scratched his fingers through his dark hair. "I'm not wrong, Edward. That girl has been yours from day one, it's in her eyes when she looks at you, as if the sun rises and sets on your pretty face. Make your move before someone else does and she settles."

"I don't want her to settle." My throat constricted. "Fuck, man. Look at what you're doing to me." I rubbed the heels of my palms into my eye sockets.

"I didn't do shit to you, man. That's love right there. Go get it. You deserve it. Piper deserves it."

"Yeh."

I sat contemplating for a minute. "I'm going to get the girl, Sam."

He grinned at me, settling back in his chair. "Good."


	10. Chapter 9

I watched Edward leave the bar with the fascination of a child at Disneyland for the first time. It took me a full ten seconds to realize I was still nodding my head yes and that my chin was touching my chest, shocked by what had just transpired. Quickly composing myself I stumble-walked my way back across the room and sat next to Rose.

'Well damn." She whispered in my ear. "If that wasn't entertaining, I don't know what was."

"Yeh."

Rose laughed and in my dazed state I grabbed the rest of my beer and drank it down in two large gulps.

**...**

"I made waffles, eggs, bacon and a fruit salad." Speaking above the dull roar that was my dad and Emmett going over baseball stats. "There's coffee and orange juice."

An arm slung over my shoulders. "Give it up, Bella, they're too far gone." Rose grinned.

"Watch this." I smirked and filled a plate with bacon and walked right between the two guys. They both stopped talking right away and twisted to follow me as I set everything on the table.

"And that's how you do that." I muttered as the guys started pigging out.

Rose followed me upstairs after we ate, leaving the guys to their baseball stats and whatever else it was that they were currently dissecting. Midway up, I scooped Lux under my arm and rubbed his chin, his pur rumbled against my ribs.

Closing the bedroom door behind us, I plopped Lux down on my bed. Rose immediately went for my closet, pawing through my clothes.

"So we're gonna need to get you something extra special to wear on Tuesday night." She ran a finger over my favorite navy cardigan. "And not this Mister Rogers crap."

"Right. I do not look like Mister Rogers."

"I never said you looked like him- I merely suggested you dress like him."

"Gee thanks, that makes it all better."

"Awww, come on, Bells." She wandered to my underwear drawer and starting digging around. "Oh! Perfect!" She held up a pair of black lace boy shorts and the matching bra. "You actually have a really nice collection here, girl. Shame you're not going to be showing it off."

**...**

Rose and Emmett left late Sunday evening after a BBQ dinner with Charlie and some of his friends.

On Monday morning I sat down with Charlie to talk to him about Edward. I wasn't nervous to tell him I was watching Piper for a few days, but I was very curious about his feelings toward Edward.

"Bells." Charlie let out a soft sight and patted Lux on the head. The cat was currently curled into a large fluff ball on his lap. "It's not that I don't like Edward, but I know what it's like to be a single dad. I know how hard it is for a single dad to make relationship decisions outside of his relationship with his kid."

"Okay, so?" I pushed at him some more.

"The thing is, I remember in high school when you were crushed that he left for college and didn't stay in touch. I remember you walking around with your head in the clouds when he did come back one summer. I could see that spark of awareness that you had for him. And then I watched you hold it all together when he left again at the end of the summer. I watched you hang out with your friends, go to parties, go to prom and graduation. The one thing I didn't see you do was date. I never had to shine up the ol' shotgun for anyone because you'd closed yourself off to every boy. Except Edward."

Well, damn.

"I didn't know I was that transparent."

"I love you, Bella. I'm your dad. If I hadn't noticed, I'd be the shittiest parent around." Pushing Lux over on his lap so he could flex his leg, Charlie winced.

"Listen Bella, I know you're going to do what you want. I know your heart is speeding away from you every time you see him, it was written all over your face when he walked into the diner the other day. I just want you to remember that there is a little girl there who holds his heart so tightly, he's probably terrified to let her down."

"Oh."

I sat there, realizing for the first time that my dad had been that guy. That single dad with a little girl and I couldn't for the life of me remember him having ever dated, let alone failed me.

"You did a good job, Dad."

**xEx**

"Daddy!"

The bed dipped and a soft hand touched my face.

"Wake up, Daddy."

"No way." My voice cracked from sleep.

"Daddy, Bella is coming today." Little hands shook my chest. "Wake up."

You'd think it was Christmas morning with the excitement in my little girls' voice.

"What time is it, Pie?"

"I don't know. I can't read the clock, I'm only four."

I laughed quietly. "Is the sunshine up?"

"No."

"Pie, it's too early then, baby." I pulled the blanket up over us and watched her snuggle into the pillow next to me. "Love you to the moon, Pie."

"Love you, Daddy." She whispered, little fingers touched my nose and finally rested on my shoulder. It wasn't long before she was passed out, her little lips parted with each deep breath she took. There were times when my heart absolutely stuck in my throat because she reminded of me of Valerie. It never made me angry or resentful, I had loved her and Piper was part of that love. But I still didn't quite understand how she could have just walked away. Go ahead and leave my ass, fine, but this sweet baby girl?

Gently I pushed her bangs from Pie's forehead and grinned when she smacked her lips in her sleep.

**...**

When I woke back up a few hours later, Pie was still out cold on her back, her foot tucked snug in the side of my ribs, one hand gripped the hair on my head. How she contorted herself in such crazy positions and slept through it was beyond me. I had to wiggle her little fist gently out of my hair so as not to wake her. Figuring I'd get some pancakes and bacon going for my favorite girl before she woke up.

I grabbed a clean shirt and padded into my bathroom to take a leak. As I washed my hands, I took a long look in the mirror. I hardly recognized myself with all the hair covering my face, no wonder Pie made faces and called me Harry Monster. Shit was out of control.

Quietly I plugged in my electric razor and went to town leaving a well-groomed and much shorter beard in its place. It would have to do until I could take a real razor to my face after a shower.

**...**

"Baaaaacon." A tiny growling voice came into the kitchen as I was getting her plate ready.

"Good morning, Breakfast Troll." I grabbed Piper up and sat her on the counter next to me, handing her a small Captain America cup filled with juice.

"You have no more hair!" She grinned and rubbed at the leftover scruff. "But that hurts now."

Laughing I scooped her up in my arms and deposited her in a chair at the table.

"I'll shave after my shower."

Looking me over very matter of fact, she nodded once. "Okay." Setting her plate in front of her I watched Pie's eyes grow wide.

"Chocolate cakes?!" She squealed out and immediately started stuffing her cheeks like a hamster.

"Slow down, you'll choke." I warned.

She just nodded and proceeded to wash everything down with a gulp of oj. She was all mine and I couldn't help but smile and feel nothing but pride.

**...**

Promptly at 7pm the doorbell rang sending Piper into an even bigger frenzy, dashing down the hall, damp hair flying behind her and giggling.

"Hurry, Daddy! It's Bella!" Her voice was squeaking and she kept dancing in circles.

"Okay, okay, chill for a sec, Pie." She was bouncing on her toes, hands clasped in front of her. "I don't want to open the door and hurt your toes." She immediately backed up leaving space for me to greet our guest.

"Hi Bella! Hi!" Piper exclaimed as she darted through my legs and grabbed Bella's hand, dragging her into the house.

"Hey there, Piper Elliott." Bella beamed down at my daughter and my heart spasmed in an almost uncomfortable way.

"Hi, Edward."

As she passed by in the hall, Bella's lightly floral scent grabbed at me threatening to bring me to my knees as a fire began in the pit of my stomach.

Her dark hair was loose down her back in long waves nearly touching her waist. She wore a sky blue, fitted, cable knit sweater and her signature painted on jeans. Moving quickly, I lifted the duffel bag from her shoulder.

"May I?"

"Oh, um, yeh." Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink. Why this gave me some sense of male pride, I don't know. But seeing that color on her cheeks and knowing I had done without even touching her, really made the rest of me stand up and take note, in a most physically uncomfortable way.

Taking the bag, I headed toward the guest room.

"Pie, we should show our guest to her room."

"Come, come, Bella! I will show you!" Both girls giggled as I followed behind them.

**...**

Closing the door to Piper's room an hour later, I exhaled a deep sigh and rested my head against the doorframe.

Bella and Piper got along like old friends that had known each other for years instead of just days. I was confident that Bella was going to be fine here with Piper over the next day or so that I had to be away.

Out of the corner of my eye I watched Bella as she crossed the hall toward the kitchen with Piper's Turtle cup in one hand and a princess book that they had been reading, in the other. Pushing off the wall, I followed down the hall and paused at the doorway into the kitchen. Bella was washing out the cup, her back was toward me and I was afforded a long look at her lush curves. My fingers twitched at my sides frustrated that they had not yet been giving the chance to twist themselves through all of those silky strands that hung almost to her jeans. She was humming quietly to herself, her bare feet dancing as she picked up another of Piper's cups from the sink and washed it as well. Her ass swayed back and forth and the fire low in my gut blazed out of control.

"You don't have to do that."

**xBx**

"Oh my god!" I jumped at the sink, sending soap bubbles flying as I clutched my chest. Turning, I nearly brushed against Edward. Tilting my head I looked up into his dark green eyes, his face gave nothing away, he was too damn hard to read.

"I know, I just thought, you know, since you were tucking Piper I'd go ahead and get this done for you. I know you have to be up early to head out." My heart was racing, not only from the scare but because Edward was standing so close that I could feel the heat from his body, if I moved even an inch, our bodies would absolutely be touching in all the right places and suddenly, I could think of nothing I wanted more. I could smell the citrus and sandalwood of his cologne. My eyes traced the very sharp angle of now clean shaven, jaw.

"Bella."

His voice was like gasoline fueling the spark of desire that rumbled through my veins.

"Yes?"

Edward stepped into me, closing the small gap and I stumbled back into the counter. His hands came down around me resting on the counter, bracketing me in place and he lowered his face to mine.

"When do you leave?"

"Um, I, uh." I couldn't breathe, he was so close that all I could do was stare at his full upper lip as it tugged upward in the far right corner. "At least two weeks."

Finally my brain was cooperating.

"I can work with that."

I felt the air in my chest catch at his words.

"What exactly does that mean?"

"It means, I'm going to kiss you now."

My pulse kicked up four notches and I just stared at him, too dumbfounded to say anything or do anything at all. Ever since I was fourteen I'd wanted Edward to kiss me. I'd lived so long fantasizing about the moment and now that it was here I was fighting to stay with the program.

"Unless, you don't want me to."

"No. I mean, yes."

"Yes you want me to?"

"I mean, yes, I want you to, I've wanted you to since I was fourteen." Dammit. Take a breath, Bella. Edward's smile shifted slightly. "Don't let that go to your head."

"Sweetheart, it all went there when you were sixteen."

"Oh." I looked down at our feet, my bare toes nearly touching his socked ones. "Listen, Edward, I don't think this is a great idea. I'm leaving in a few weeks and I'm really not the one night stand kind of girl."

"I know, Bella. I know all of that and yet here I am."

His fingertips brushed across my cheek and I had to fight to keep my eyes open and not to purr into the palm of his hand.

"I know you feel it too, Bella. You don't have to say it out loud, but don't lie to yourself and say you don't."

His lips were soft and unyielding when they met mine, his breath smelled of mint and beer, an odd combination but one that made my toes curl and my chest flutter. His teeth scraped and nipped over my lower lip, followed by a soothing swipe of his tongue. As far as kisses go, it was quite innocent, but it stole my breath and sent shock waves through my entire body.

Reaching out, I pressed my hands against a very distinctly male chest. The hard lines of what was most likely a spectacular naked torso, heated beneath my touch pulling a low growling noise from Edward.

I pushed gently trying to gain some space. I needed to think about what this was that was happening here and I couldn't do that with his mouth on mine.

"Think about it, Bella."

"You know I will." My cheeks felt warm and I was struggling to control my breathing.

"Go to bed." Edward gently tucked my hair behind my ear, goose pimples raced down my neck and arm. "I'll finish the dishes."

"Okay."

I was really going to have to work on my vocabulary and communication skills when it came to Edward.

His lips touched mine lightly one more time as if it were the most natural thing in the world for him to do and my heart stuttered in my chest.

"I'll see you in a few days." He whispered.

"Night, Edward. Drive safe tomorrow."


End file.
